The Tags That Bind
by QueenofOld
Summary: The tags were meant to remind her of his feelings for her and make her feel safe...but instead, they put her in grave danger. Stryker invades the mansion and finds a pretty little mutant wearing the Wolverine's dog tags. Takes place during X2.
1. Prologue

Title: The Tags That Bind

Rating: NC-17/M

Genre: A bit of everything, but mainly romance

Pairing: Logan/Rogue

Disclaimer: I don't own X Men or any of its super awesome characters.

Summary: His tags were meant to remind her of his feelings for her and to make her feel secure even if he wasn't there...he never meant for them to put her in danger. Takes place during X Men 2: United.

**A/N: This is just a prologue, and it picks up in the middle of the raid on the mansion that occurred during X Men 2: United.**

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To anyone else, it would have looked as if he was just trying to kill as many bad guys as possible, but in reality, he had been looking for her. If any bad guys had been on the way to her room, they died. He promised her three years ago that he would take care of her. During those few years, he developed a tender spot for her, which soon grew into an attraction that he refused to acknowledge.

When she told him she was with Bobby, part of him was relieved to see that she found someone her own age, but the other part was heart broken that she seemed to have gotten over her crush on him.

He saved her and the boys from a near attack before leading them to a secret passageway and closing the door behind them.

Now that he was sure she was safe, he could concentrate on the fight, so he rushed back into the house and went about his business, killing bad guys left and right. As Marie, Bobby and Pyro rushed through the dark tunnel, she stopped and looked back, "Bobby! We can't leave Logan by himself!"

Bobby almost touched her arm, but remembered her skin and motioned for her to come with him, "Rogue...he's more than capable of defending himself."

She rushed back toward the passageway, "No...I'm going back to get him."

* * *

Logan had his encounter with Stryker, who narrowly escaped after "the animal" disposed of the soldiers who seemed to serve as his personal bodyguards. Logan rushed out of the mansion through another passageway to make sure the children had escaped into the woods. He didn't want to chance that Stryker's troops might be crawling around the outer perimeter of the property.

At that same moment, Marie reentered the mansion through a tunnel. She was immediately accosted by a soldier, who grabbed her and held her arms behind her back. She wished the soldier hadn't been wearing gloves and long sleeves...she could've taken him out in the blink of an eye. She struggled as she was dragged into the foyer where Stryker stood. He slowly strolled up to her with a smirk on her face, "Didn't know mutants could be as pretty as you, my dear..." She glared and jerked away as he ran a hand down her chest, "What's this here?"

He fished the dog tags out of her cleavage and laughed, "Well well...what's a pretty little thing like you doing wearing the Wolverine's tags?" Marie didn't even look at him. She just stared at him as she continued to struggle against her captor. Stryker smiled sinisterly after waiting for a few moments for an answer, "Well, you must be really special to him. Wonder what he'd do to get you back..."

* * *

Logan regrouped with Bobby and Pyro in the garage. He panicked internally, "Where's Rogue?"

Bobby stuttered, "W-w-we thought she was with you...she went back in to get you."

Logan grabbed the collar of the boy's shirt and yanked him to his face, "You let her go back in there alone?"

They looked up as they heard choppers leaving the school. A look of sheer panic and despair washed over Logan's face as he loosened his grip on Bobby.

Stryker had her.


	2. Captivity

**Ok people, this is going to move a little fast, so keep up! I'm purposely fast forwarding through some of the events of X2 because they're not important to MY story.**

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Marie had been hit with the stun darts right after her capture. She remembered seeing Stryker smirk at her as her vision grew cloudy.

The men started to put her with the rest of the prisoners upon reaching Alkali Lake, but Stryker stopped them, "Put her in her own cell. She's going to need a bit of privacy."

* * *

Logan practically had to throw Pyro and Bobby off of him so he could rush back to the mansion. He ran through, screaming Marie's name, but she was gone. He growled and yanked the boys all the way to the garage, nearly throwing them into the car.

There were too many things for him to think about. What did Stryker want at the mansion? Why did he kidnap the children? Most importantly, where did he take Marie?

Logan found himself more worried about her than anything else. He glanced at Bobby, who sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window. Logan thought he was a good enough kid...and even thought it was a bit funny when he showed his jealousy toward him the night before. Bobby had a kind of boy band quality about him that just didn't go with Marie.

Marie was Logan's first friend to come along in 15 years. He had promised her that he would take care of her...he never promised anyone that. Even when he was away from the mansion, he called frequently to check up on her and even sent her gifts and souvenirs. A girl who could tame him like that was obviously a force to be reckoned with...and any boyfriend of hers needs to be strong enough to handle her. Bobby would probably crack under the pressure.

A part of him was excited to see that she was still faithfully wearing his dog tags when he returned. It was like her constant reminder that he would always come home to her...because to him, *she* was his home.

"Who was that back there?" Bobby asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Logan raised an eyebrow, "Stryker...Major William Stryker."

"How do you know his name?" asked Pyro.

Logan took a deep breath and glanced back at John, "I don't remember."  


* * *

Rogue woke up on a cold cement floor, shivering. The thin black nightgown she wore did little to protect her body from the elements. She sat up and scrambled backwards as she heard the door of her cell open with a loud clank.

It was Stryker.

He took a few menacing steps forward, "Good morning lovely lady...how are you feeling today?"

"Where am I?" she asked as she narrowed her eyes at him.

He leaned down, "Your new home. Do you think you're ready to tell me how you know my old friend?"

She glanced down at the dog tags and looked up at him in defiance.

He smirked, "I like your personality. You're brave...kind of a spitfire. Just the type of woman I could imagine him falling for. You're a bit young, but Wolverine's an animal, and animals always go for the youngest, strongest female...they make for good breeding."

Rogue rolled her eyes in disgust as he inched closer, "What's your power my dear...and don't lie to me. I can always kill you and examine your corpse to find out."

She stuttered slightly, "I think it would be best to show you."

He raised a brow, "What's your name, beautiful?"

Rogue didn't say anything until he grabbed her up by the arm with one of his bare hands. His mouth fell open and his eyes bugged open as he began desperately gasping for air. Rogue grabbed his other hand to keep contact with his skin. She was ready to kill him. Images of his life flashed in her head. She saw Logan and his entire past with Stryker, Victor Creed, Kayla and his team.

Soldiers rushed into her cell and knocked her unconscious, causing her to lose her grip on her "victim" and fall to the floor in a heap. Stryker was barely alive by the time they reached him.  


* * *

After the debacle with the police at Bobby's house and joining up with Storm and Jean, Logan was relieved that they had been saved from a plane crash, but uneasy about being saved by Magneto. He was one of only two people who he was pretty sure could kill him.

The other was Marie.

Logan almost smirked to himself. He could think of worst ways to die than having her naked body pressed against his. He remembered how soft she was when he held her naked skin against his on Liberty Island. Logan memorized her scent that night, right before he saved her life.

He shook his head and tried to focus on the conversation at hand when Magneto said his name, mentioning the connection between his adamantium and Stryker.  


* * *

She stayed unconscious for hours.

Marie woke up strapped to a table, wearing an odd suit that was similar to a leather X Men uniform, only a little bit tighter. She looked around as best she could and spotted a couple of men in lab coats walking around the room, typing things into computers and preparing syringes.

She struggled against her bonds and cried out as a haggard looking Stryker walked over to her, "I wish I could fully blame you for our little encounter earlier...but I understand you can't control your power."

"What are you gonna do to me?" she asked, still pulling against her restrains.

"First, I'm gonna get you to talk. What's your name?"

When she remained silent, a metal prod was placed on her side and she felt an extremely painful electric shot jolt through her body. She cried out and panted as the pain subsided. Striker moved close to her face, "Your name..."

Silence...more pain.

She didn't know how long he tortured her. He began to grow impatient, screaming for her to tell him her name as she was hit with back to back electric shocks. She finally whispered, "Rogue..."

When Marie fell unconscious, she remembered the look on Logan's face when he hugged her. She could recognize the happiness in his eyes...the satisfaction in his face as he looked down at her cleavage to see his dog tags safely nestled between her breasts.

She was thrown back into consciousness as a pale of cold water was thrown onto her. She sputtered and coughed, shivering as the table she was strapped to was lifted upright, bringing her face to face with Stryker.

He smiled, "You're one tough cookie, Rogue. I expected you to give up your name after the first shock, but you lasted for a good three hours."

Her body was so exhausted she could barely lift her head. Stryker used a gloved hand to lift up her chin, "How would you like to learn to control those powers?" His gloved hand roamed down her body, groping as he went along, "How would you like to be able to touch...to feel a hand pressed against your naked skin." He paused at her thigh and squeezed as he leaned in closer, "I'm going to give you that Rogue."

She tried to make the effort to snatch away from him, but the hours of pain had drained her beyond all measure. Stryker grabbed her hair and yanked her head forward. She cringed as she felt an acid like substance drip onto the back of her neck.  


* * *

Logan watched as Jean descended the stairs of the jet. She was wiping her hands on a cloth and chewing on her bottom lip...she was obviously in deep thought.

He gave her a concerned look, "Hey Red...you ok?"

She turned back to him and nodded as she forced a smile, "I'm just a little scared...for Scott and the professor."

Logan turned away and looked down. He'd almost forgotten about the others who had been kidnapped. He could only think about Marie. Jean gave him an odd look and put a hand on his shoulder, "You're thinking of Rogue, aren't you?"

He cringed and closed his eyes, immediately growing nervous about what she may find while poking around in his head. "Do me a favor and stay outta my head...ok?"

Jean took her hand away from his arm and sighed, "I didn't need to read your mind to realize that you were thinking of her Logan. You've never shown anyone else the same tenderness you showed her. Everyone sees how you smile when you see her...how comfortable she is with you...you're not even like that with-"

He cut her off, "-with you."

Jean gave him a look and nodded, "Not even with me...do you love her?"

Logan gave her a long look and turned around, heading to his tent, "See you in the morning."

An hour or so later, Jean entered his tent and straddled him. He started to say something, but she covered his mouth and quickly lowered her lips to his. After a few moments of kissing, Logan shook his head and pushed her off, "I can't..."

She rubbed against him and bit at his bottom lip, "What's the matter Logan...don't you want me?"

He took a deep whiff of her scent and pushed Mystique off as she took her natural form, "What the hell are you doing?"

"I guess I had the wrong girl..." Mystique smirked and took on the form of Rogue, causing Logan's heart to flinch painfully within his chest.

He growled low and menacingly, "Get the hell outta my tent."  


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**Reviews please! Thanks for all the early reviewers/story alert subscriptions/favorites! I hope you're enjoying. It's gonna get a little intense, so hang onto your panties!**


	3. Marie Who?

Logan spent the whole night thinking of her. He was determined to save her. He had to...she was his to take care of. He kept reliving the night he told he he would take care of her. He promised...and now she was suffering some unimaginably horrid fate at the hands of a man who he knew was evil...all because of his damn dog tags.

He cared about her more than he wanted to admit, but he refused to ever act on it. Marie was young, sweet and far better of a person than he was. He simply loved her too much to ever take advantage of her in that way. She deserved better.

When they landed at Alkali Lake, Logan tried to convince Magneto, Jean and Storm that he should be the one to go in first. He wanted to find Marie.

Mystique went in as Logan and was able to infiltrate the base's control room, much to Stryker's annoyance. As the rest of the X men began making their way into the facility, Stryker turned to his second in command, "Cut her lose."

When they finally made it to Mystique inside of the control room, Logan immediately rushed to the monitors, "Where's Marie? Have you seen her?"

Mystique rolled her eyes, "No. He took out some of the cameras."

Logan gritted his teeth in frustration as the rest of them began talking amongst themselves about their plan to free the imprisoned children, save the professor and shut down Cerebro.

Logan saw Stryker rush down a hallway on one of the monitors before creeping out of the room.

After roaming down dark tunnels, he found the room where he received his adamantium. Foggy memories began piecing themselves together in his mind as he shut his eyes and concentrated on reliving his past. His deep thought was interrupted by a familiar voice, "Logan?"

He whirled around to see Marie standing a few feet away from him. How'd she get there? Was she alright? Where had she been?

All of the questions stopped mattering when he realized how amazing she looked. She wore a skin tight, black rubbery cat suit. Her brown and white hair had been pulled back into a neat pony tail and something was definitely different about the way she carried herself...she looked sexy...almost dangerously so.

His dog tags hung between her breasts, which were pressed firmly together by the skin tight fabric. The zipper that held those things in looked like it was gonna give way any moment...and how he wished it would.

He tried to snap out of his lustful reverie as he rushed over to her, "Are you ok?"

She raised her hand to touch his lips, causing him to jump slightly, "What the hell are you doing?"

She brought her hand a little closer, "Shh...it's ok. I won't hurt you."

He calmed slightly as he looked into her eyes. Part of him was trying to figure out what the hell was going on with her, while the other half just wanted to throw her down and fuck her silly. He closed his eyes and let out a breath as her soft fingers brushed against his lips.

He waited for the deadly pull, but it never came. He quickly reopened her eyes and stared at her as she smirked, "I told you...I can control it now."

Logan whispered and shook his head, "But how? What happened to you?"

She silenced him by putting two fingers on his lips, "Touch me, Logan."

He shook his head, "Marie...I can't do that. It isn't right. This isn't you."

She leaned up and gently kissed his jaw line, causing his entire body to tense up. Even on his rough muttonchops, her lips felt unbelievably soft.

Marie trailed a few slow, lingering kisses up his cheek and right next to his mouth. He tried to hesitate, but before he knew it, she had backed him against the nearest wall, practically attacking him with her mouth. His hands were all over her at once as they kissed roughly and passionately while moans escaped their lips.

She yanked away from him and smiled as she slowly pulled down the zipper of her catsuit. Logan's eyes followed the zipper all the way down to her belly button and let out a breath of sheer astonishment. Her large, pert breasts were barely covered by the material of her suit and threatened to billow forth without the restraint of the zipper. She moved forward and yanked down his zipper, exposing his chiseled chest before pressing her body back against his and resuming their fevered kisses. Logan shook his head and started to snatch away, "No Marie."

It was then that he started to feel it...the deadly pull. His body froze against hers as he began gasping for air. She watched him in evil satisfaction as his eyes bugged out. Logan knew he was a goner...but at least he got to feel her naked against him once...even if it was only partial.

A voice called out from behind them, "That's enough, Rogue."

She turned around and stepped back, allowing Logan to collapse to the floor, cringing and gasping for air. She walked over to Stryker and obediently stood next to him as Logan looked up at them from the floor.

Stryker walked over to Marie and gently stroked her face as she stared straight ahead at Logan, "She's quite beautiful, isn't she...old friend?"

Logan struggled to find the strength to stand as Stryker continued, "Oh look who I'm asking! Of course you know how beautiful she is."

Logan panted heavily and leaned up on an elbow as he yelled out, "What did you do to her?"

Stryker lustfully touched the skin that had been exposed when Marie unzipped her suit. He slowly and purposefully reached between her breasts to pick up the dog tags that still lay nestled there, "What were you thinking? Giving your tags to such a young...beautiful...innocent creature? Being tied to you means bad news Wolverine..."

As Logan watched Stryker's hand move the the flesh on Marie's stomach, he growled while he tried to stand, "Don't you fucking touch her! Kid...listen to me! It's me...Marie! It' Logan!"

"It's no use, Wolverine. Rogue is under my power now. She answers to me..." he leaned in and sniffed her as if she was some sort of meal before he reached down to zip her catsuit back up, continuing his statement with smug satisfaction, "...and me alone."

"You fucking pervert! Leave her alone! She's just a kid!" Logan said as he was able to push himself up on one of his knees.

Stryker turned around and laughed, "People in glass houses, old man. You were ready to have your way with her while the rest of your team is out there saving lives and fighting the good fight! We both know you're older than me...what does that say about you?"

The very foundation of the facility was rocked when they heard a loud explosion, causing all three of them to get knocked to the floor. Marie hit her head on the corner of the water tank, causing her to grasp her temples with both hands as she tried to regain her bearings. Stryker scrambled away from some falling debris as Logan, once again, tried to get upright. His body still felt horribly drained.

Marie blinked rapidly and looked down at herself, then across at Logan. She had seen and felt everything that had happened while she was "under", but she couldn't stop herself.

Stryker struggled to stand as he looked at Logan, realizing that it was now or never. Rogue had syphoned his regenerative power and he was now vulnerable. He pulled out a gun and took aim.

Rogue saw him and scrambled to her feet as she screamed, "No!"

She ran to Logan, who stood just in time to catch her in his arms as a gun shot rang out. She jerked violently against him and went deathly still as she looked up into his eyes and whispered his name.

He looked down at her in disbelief and shook his head, "No...no...Marie!"

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**Thanks for all the adds and reviews! Please keep them coming! (Side note: Lady Deathstrike isn't in my story on purpose. She just couldn't fit into the scheme of things.)**


	4. A Sacrifice for the Unworthy

She wasn't supposed to die for him. This wasn't how she was supposed to meet her fate. She deserved to die of old age, surrounded by her grandchildren.

Logan shook his head repeatedly, "No Marie...no..."

Stryker laughed out loud, "See what happens when you try to get close to someone Logan?"

Stryker raised the gun and took aim again as Logan looked up at him in anger.

The gun vibrated in his hands for a moment before being snatched away to Magneto's awaiting hand. Logan carefully laid Marie down on the ground and stood as Magneto watched Stryker attempt to flee the room. He was promptly caught by Logan, who slammed him against the wall and shoved his claw into his arm. Logan leaned in close and growled, "See what happens when** I** get close to you!"

Magneto turned and began walking out of the room. He could see that the Wolverine was prepared to take care of the situation. Nothing motivates a man quite like revenge...besides, he needed to save himself from the structure that was collapsing around them.

Stryker cried out in pain as Logan leaned in and yelled in his face, "What did you do to her?"

"I-I-I...I helped her!" Stryker panted

Logan clenched his teeth, "What the fuck do you mean?"

Stryker panted, "My son...he has uncharted psychic and telepathic abilities. I made him tap into the area of her mind that housed her powers...then I had the professor build blockers within her consciousness that would enable her to control her powers. Charles never tried it before because he knew it might kill her...it did almost kill her. She screamed for you..."

Logan snatched his claws from his arm and put them to his neck as his nostrils flared, "You fucking piece of shit."

"She lived through it though...she was strong...tough...that's why you loved her. Isn't it?"

Logan blinked his eyes and shook his head confusedly. Loved? That's past tense. He still loved her...but then, a sickening feeling settled in the pit of his stomach as he glanced over at Marie as she lay still on the ground. He turned back to Stryker and stared into his eyes as he sunk his claws into his throat. He wanted to watch the life drain from his eyes just as it had done in Marie's.

When the deed was done and Stryker's body was a heap on the ground, Logan rushed back over to Marie's body and carefully picked her up. He was so concerned with getting out of the dam, he didn't notice that the bullet she had been struck with laid on the floor after he rushed away.

Although he was relieved to see the professor was alive, he felt sick with despair as he desperately clutched Marie's body to his. All the others, including Bobby stared at her in disbelief. Storm pulled herself together to attempt to get the jet off the ground as Logan sat on the floor of the jet, staring down into Marie's face.

He didn't pay attention to the fact that, at any moment, the dam could burst and kill them all. He could only remember his broken promise.

_*"I'll take are of you."*_

_*"You promise?*_

_*"I promise.*"_

He'd failed the only person he could ever remember promising anything. He clutched her close for a moment and shut his eyes as Bobby knelt close by. Even he knew that Marie belonged to Logan more than she had ever belonged to him.

After all, it was Logan who had been the only one in the mansion that had felt her bare skin against his.

Logan's breath hitched in his throat as he felt Marie take a deep breath against him. She groaned and blinked her eyes open as everyone who wasn't working to save their lives rushed over to her, crying out her name in relief and astonishment.

Logan stared at her wide mouthed as he continued to hold her body in his arms. It took him a few deep breaths before he was able to speak, "Holy shit kid...you scared the hell outta me. Are you ok?"

She nodded stretched a little as she smiled at him a little, "Yea...I'm good now."

_Shit._ There's that look again...the 'you're my hero' look...only now she was a bit older and her eyes held a tiny hint of lust. He tried to ignore the look on her face as he sat her up to take a look at her wound, but her skin was unmarked beneath the hole that the bullet had made in her delicious looking cat suit.

Their excitement immediately turned to horror when they realized that Jean had left the jet.

Logan stood quickly and looked out the window.

Rogue numbly watched the series of events unfold. At the end of it all, Logan held a screaming Scott in his arms as he himself, fought back tears.

* * *

Rogue remembered everything that had happened in Alkali Lake. She remembered the torture...and being transformed into some sort of puppet with that acidic fluid that Stryker poured onto the back of her neck. She remembered the "procedure" that helped unlock her powers and nearly killed her.

Stryker tried to turn her into a weapon. A weapon that could singlehandedly defeat the indestructible Wolverine. He knew he could use her against him.

Marie almost found it comical that she had been tortured and lived through immense pain, but the only things she really allowed herself to cling to from her experience was the memories involving Logan that she had pulled from Stryker...and the incredible, near-sex experience she had with him in her catatonic state.

Of course, it wasn't her...but she had seen and felt everything they did. He had always been the object of her hero worship. From the moment she laid eyes on him when he stood inside the cage in Laughlin City, she looked up to him as some sort of rebellious hero.

They didn't talk about it. She wasn't sure they every would. Everyone was reeling from Jean's death. Logan, in particular, took it pretty hard.

Soon after returning from Alkali Lake, he left. Before he did, he came to her room.

She immediately knew something about this departure was different. He was saying goodbye.

He never said goodbye on purpose. She usually had to catch him before he left.

He fiddled with the strap of the book bag that rested on his shoulder as he spoke, "Uh...I'm gonna head away for a little bit...I just need to get out of here for a little while." Marie nodded and crossed her arms before looking down. He put a hand on her shoulder and kissed her forehead, "I'll be back, kid."

The kiss lingered a little bit longer than it should have. Touching her without fear of death was still a new sensation for him. He gave her a long look, then turned around and left.

* * *

During the entire time he was away, he thought of her constantly...more so than he ever had in the past during his breaks from the mansion.

He had thought of returning to see her every single day, but thought against it. He did, however, call her whenever he could find a pay phone. Her voice lit up every time she got on the phone, almost squealing his name in delight.

He would always smile for hours after their phone calls. He was just happy to know she was OK.

He worked as a lumber jack somewhere in Canada for about a year. He didn't know why that job was so comforting and familiar to him...but the work offered him a lulling routine that helped him keep his lustful thoughts about Marie at bay.

Being away from the mansion did him some good. He couldn't handle being in a place that held so many scents and memories of Jean. He just wanted to be away.

* * *

Logan came back two years later and was horrified to see how gorgeous, sexy and confident Marie had become.

She certainly wasn't the same girl she had once been. Her experiences at Alkali Lake had turned her into a world weary woman that was too mature to have a teenage boyfriend who still thought sneaking beer into the school was the definition of living dangerously.

She had tried to make it work...she really did. She even had sex with him, but found it mildly disturbing that she could only picture Logan's face as Bobby rocked awkwardly atop her.

When Logan came back, she immediately felt comfortable again. She hadn't heard his motorcycle in the driveway, so when he walked in, he made it a priority to find her. She was sitting in the library, reading when he strolled to her and playfully yanked the book from her hands.

She smiled brightly and jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly. He laughed as her tiny body actually nearly squeezed the air out of his lungs, "Whoa kid...you ok?"

She released him from her death grip/hug and stepped back, "Yea! Just glad to have you back, that's all."

He nodded, "You look older."

She rolled her eyes as a smirk played across her lips, "Gee, thanks."

"No! I don't mean it that way...I meant mature", he stuttered.

What the fuck was wrong with him? He was stuttering like a little school girl around her. Get a grip, man.

He took a breath as he examined her face...her amazing face. He couldn't keep drooling over her like this...he had to go somewhere to collect himself. A nice cold shower would do the trick. He cleared his throat, "Hey, I'm gonna catch up with you later, ok? I just wanna go...um...say hi to everyone and...ya know...set my stuff down."

Marie nodded and watched as he walked away. For the first time since before Alkali Lake, things started to return to normal.

* * *

Logan hid out in his room for the rest of the evening. When he finally got too hungry to bear it anymore, he tiptoed from his room to the kitchen. He was surprised to see her sitting at the counter, eating ice cream. She smiled as she swallowed her ice cream, "Fancy seein' you here!"

He smiled, but soon raised his brows as he noticed what she was wearing. A ratty tee shirt and boxer shorts. Holy shit...those were _his_ clothes.

She followed his eyes down to her clothes and blushed heavily. Wearing the few articles of clothes he had left in his room had become such a norm for her, she didn't even think of them as his anymore...until that very moment. "I'm sorry...you left them and I-"

He cut her off by holding up a hand, "It's ok, kid...really. If I wanted them, I shoulda taken them with me."

He wanted so badly to tell her how good she looked in that over sized torn tee shirt and the boxers that showed off her mile long legs. She was completely amazing.

She settled on the stool a little, relieved that the embarrassing moment she had expected had passed them by. He picked up a spoon out of a drawer and walked over to her, "Got room for one more in that tub?"

Marie nodded and smiled as he helped himself to her tub of ice cream. She stared at him for a while and sighed, "I need to tell you something, Logan."

He felt a sinking in the pit of his stomach when he looked into her eyes. What was it? Was she ok? Had some prick hurt her? Was she about to confess her love?

Marie put the spoon down and straightened up, "I know I should've told you this sooner, but when Stryker had me...before put me under, I touched him. I saw his thoughts...his memories."

Logan allowed the spoon to fall to the counter as he immediately realized what she was saying, "Did you see me?"

Rogue nodded, "I wanted to tell you sooner, but with Jean's death and you leaving...I didn't know when the right time would be."

He gripped the edge of the counter and looked down for a moment. The silence was deafening.

It was an eternity before he spoke again, "Tell me what you saw...I need to know everything."

Two hours later, while sitting in his room, Marie had gone from cringing, to laughing, to crying and back again as she told Logan the story of his past involving his team of mercenaries, Kayla, Victor and Stryker. She had laid down and began blinking slowly as her words grew fewer and further between.

She let out a loud yawn, "Mmm...so tired."

He sighed and laid next to her, propping his head up, "It's ok, kid. Go to sleep."

"My room..." she whispered with her eyes closed.

He gently and tenderly brushed a hair from her face, "You're fine here, kid..."

It was no use to say anything else. She was knocked out. He reached over and curled his hand into hers and stared at her face as she slept. She had silently carried his horrific past around without complaint for two years. He wondered how many nightmares she had...how many times she had woken up screaming out for him from the combined memories of her own horrific experiences and his harrowing past. As he watched her sleep on his bed, wearing his clothes and still faithfully wearing his dog tags, he felt more determined than ever to protect her from himself, the angry world outside and the horror that now lurked within her own mind.

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**More is coming! I hope you are enjoying it. I really appreciate the reviews! Keep em coming!**


	5. Things Unsaid

During the night, he had moved from the bed to the chair across from her. Sleeping in bed with her would have been too intimate, but he loved watching her sleep...until she woke up screaming and clutching her head. She fought him with a strength neither of them realized she had when he tried to comfort her. Her skin was on and fully activated, so when she swung at him the first time, he immediately felt it. He grabbed her by her shoulders and attempted to subdue her as he said her name repeatedly.

When she finally woke up, she looked up at him and panted as tears streamed down her face. The fierceness on her face immediately fell into an expression of sorrow and fear as she collapsed against his chest, sobbing deeply.

Logan jumped slightly, but when he realized that she had turned her skin off, he held her and took a deep breath as he stroked the back of her head, "What happened kid?"

She sniffled and moved away from his chest as she wiped her wet face with the back of her hand, "It was you...it was Stryker...it was me..."

Logan felt like a giant asshole. He was so wrapped up in getting over Jean's death, he hadn't really stopped to make sure she was really OK.

He had thought she was...because she always put on a brave face for him. He'd asked her if she was alright and she had nodded quickly and smiled on multiple occasions...but here she was, on his bed, recovering from a horrific nightmare brought on by all she'd taken on.

Logan pulled her back into a hug, "I'm sorry, kid."

"For what?" she asked as she looked up at him.

He shook his head and tried not to look her in her eyes. He knew that would lead him directly to her lips and uncharted territory beyond, "For everything...starting with the tags."

Her hand protectively went to the place where the tags hung beneath her shirt, "The tags? What do you mean?"

He realized that sitting on the bed with her may be a bad idea, so he stood and plopped down on the chair he had been sitting in, "If you didn't have them, Stryker wouldn't have put you through all of that. You wouldn't have had to touch him and you wouldn't have-"

She cut him off, "I wouldn't have been able to control my powers and finally touch again...I wouldn't have learned about your past and finally given you some answers. Logan...when he had me and he was...torturing me, feeling your tags on my neck was the only thing keeping me from giving up."

Logan shut his eyes tight and flashed back to what Stryker said before he killed him.

_"...she screamed for you..."_

And he wasn't there for her.

Logan looked back up at her. The innocence was gone. She was a woman now, and there was no way he could change that. It was his fault that she had grown up so quickly and was now far too wise for her age.

He clasped his hands together and looked down, "Why don't you just see if there's a way the professor can block your memories...shield you from everything that happened?"

She hugged herself tight, "Well, I did talk to the professor and he gave me the option. But that might have meant losing your memories, so I didn't."

Logan was taken aback. She was willing to live her own personal hell if it meant she could provide him with the answers about his past that he so desperately wanted.

He couldn't even look at her. He would end up jumping up and kissing her if he did. Instead, he kept his eyes turned to the floor, "You're holding onto these nightmares because you wanted to make sure I had the answers about my past?"

Marie nodded slightly, "Yes...and I'm afraid any probing the professor does may ruin my control over my powers."

Logan smiled. Thank god she had something to gain from this. He couldn't handle her being _that_ selfless.  


* * *

Logan moved Marie to a room across from his. He felt the need to be the one to comfort her when she woke up screaming. The professor and Storm didn't learn about it until after he had started moving her belongings to her new room while she was in class...Scott didn't really care. They could hardly find him half of the time since Jean's death.

When Storm and Professor Xavier confronted him in the hallway, he immediately rolled his eyes, "I know what you're going to say and you can both take it elsewhere. I'm the only one who can understand what she's going through. Rogue needs me."

He began moving some of the items and clothing to her new room as they watched him. The professor sighed, "Of course she does Logan...we understand that...but we're concerned about her getting too invested in you."

Logan stopped and looked at them, "Excuse me?"

Storm stepped forward, "It's no secret she carries a torch for you Logan. If you start visiting her room every night and comforting her during her darkest hour...she could become too attached. We all know about your tendency to up and leave...then where does that leave her if the mood to hit the road hits you again?"

Logan felt his heart sink. They were right...he had left Marie once when she needed him most...he could stop himself from doing it again.

The professor could tell what he was thinking, "Logan...she's very very young. I don't think it would be a good idea if you two-"

Logan interrupted, "You're tellin' me that after Alkali Lake, you think she's still the same teenaged girl she was when we first came here? She's 19 Chuck...and you of all people should know that she's been through has aged her mind at least a decade."

The professor nodded, "Very well, Logan. But for all our sakes, try to stay here for a while. We need you here. I fear that Jean wasn't the only X Man lost at Alkali Lake."

Both Logan and Storm knew that he was referring to the currently AWOL Scott.

* * *

A few days later, Marie (along with everyone else) heard the extremely loud, chaotic projection. When the professor told them to get to Alkali Lake, Logan stopped Marie when they reached the hangar.

She was fully prepared to go with he and Storm, but Logan took her by the shoulders, "I don't want you in danger...just stay here."

That was pretty much the last she saw of him for the next several days. When Jean came back, all hell broke lose and, in his mind, Marie got lost in the scuffle.

When Scott died, she sat outside of his room, just staring at the door for hours.

When the professor died, she couldn't process the information properly. She still expected to see him when she walked into his office and still spoke to him in her mind...only this time, she was met with silence.

Logan worked uselessly to get Jean (...or the Phoenix) back from Magneto, but in the end, it was he who finally had to put a stop to her uncontrollable reign of terror. When he returned after Alcatraz, he went straight to his room and shut the door.

To any outsider looking in, he was devastated at the loss of Jean...which, in reality, he was, but it was more than that. She was a beautiful woman who he loved in a special, unattainable way, but that was as far as it went. Jean was the buffer he needed to exist to keep his feral intentions toward Marie at bay. She was his voice of reason and the beauty he longed for mainly because he knew he couldn't have it.

* * *

It was three in the morning and Marie couldn't sleep. She was afraid of what lurked in her nightmares. The professor was dead and Logan was probably in no condition to comfort her, so she decided to wander the halls.

As soon as she stepped out of her room, she noticed the sliver of light coming from beneath Logan's door. She hesitated for a few seconds before she knocked, then heard him groan from inside, "Come in."

When she entered, she saw him laying on the bed with the lamp on, staring toward the door, "Close the door, kid."

He didn't seem like himself right now...that frightened her. Since losing Scott, Jean and the professor, she needed the people she did have left to be normal. Marie shut the door and took a step toward him, "Logan...are you alright?"

He let out a brief, bitter laugh as he held a hand out to her, "C'mere."

She hesitated when she noticed his topless state. Logan's chest and arms were a work of art. He was exactly what a man should look like...rugged, a little hairy and a lot of muscle. Marie was wearing one of his over sized flannel shirts, which was showing far more leg than what could have been considered "decent". She walked over and took his hand, "I'm sorry Logan."

He took her hand and pulled her down so that she was sitting on his bed as he laid there, looking up at her. He took a deep breath, "I haven't been doin' a great job lookin' after you these past couple of weeks, huh?"

Marie lowered her head and rubbed her arm, "It's ok...you had more important stuff to do."

"Not many things are more important in my miserable life than you, kid," Logan said as he haphazardly flicked a strand of white hair away from her eyes.

She examined him closely for a moment, "I'm sorry about Jean."

Logan frowned slightly, then slowly took a hold of her shoulder and pulled her down into bed with him, laying her in front of him. He spooned her and breathed in her scent, "I'm sorry about everything else."

Marie wanted to say something, but the intimacy of their position caused the thoughts that typically crowded her mind to cease. She'd never been held so closely by him before. They had hugged countless times, he'd kissed her head and they'd even fallen asleep fully clothed on opposite sides of the bed before, but now, she laid with her ass aimed at his crotch with nothing but his boxers and her panties shielding them from fulfilling her fantasy.

She wanted to ask about his sudden show of physical affection. She wanted to ask him if he was alright after what happened on Alcatraz. She wanted to know what was going on in that complicated brain of his.

Instead of flooding him with questions, Marie closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy the fact that her mind was at peace for the first time since Alkali Lake. She realized that Logan was simply taking comfort in her warm presence and she in his.

That evening, as they slept curled against each other, the nightmares that had been haunting both of them never came.

* * *

**I will earn the 'M' rating eventually! I'm trying to develop their relationship first. In my previous Rogan fics, I kind of threw them into bed together within the first couple of chapters, but this time, I wanted to concentrate on making sure the audience realizes that their connection is so much more than just sheer physical attraction. I wanted this Logan and Marie to start falling for each other before his animal-like instincts kicked in.**


	6. Lost in Thoughts Mini Chapter

**This is just kind of a mini-chapter that covers some of the thoughts running through their heads. I got bitten by the creative bug and had to write/post it. Hope it ties you over til tomorrow/Sunday! Keep the reviews coming and like I said...there WILL be smut...later ;-)**

* * *

Logan was definitely an ass man...well, he was an everything man, but if he had to nail down a particular body part, it would be the ass. Marie's ass, in particular. High, round and luscious.

Perfect by all standards in his book.

Damn her for not wearing granny panties. She wore either those French cut things with the strings on the side or the boy shorts underwear that looked so cute...her ample ass cheeks kind of billowed out of the bottom like two plush pillows.

He looked, but didn't touch. Every. Single. Night.

It was becoming delicious torture for him. After their first night of dreamless sleep, Marie crept into his room the following evening. His eyes were closed, but he wasn't asleep as she whispered into the darkness, "Logan...Logan, you awake?"

He smiled, "No."

She laughed a little in the darkness, "Can I...can I lay down?"

"Sure", he said without a hint of hesitation.

She climbed into bed and curled herself into the fetal position. In the darkness, he rolled to his side and looked at her...too fucking cute. Cute? Since when did he use the word cute? Even if it was in his own mind, the word "cute" simply shouldn't exist in his vocabulary...but look at her. Curled up and drifting off to sleep as her nose twitched.

That was definitely cute.

Logan pulled her close and kissed her forehead as she uncurled her body a little to reciprocate his embrace. If anyone had walked in at that moment, they probably would have thought they were interrupting a married couple enjoying a post coital embrace instead of two "friends" falling asleep.  


* * *

From then on, after finding out that his protective embrace and her warm body would be the only thing that would keep their nightmares away, they slept together. Logan actually struggled with whether he should ask her to wear more to bed at night, but decided against it.

Asking her to cover up would only make things awkward and make her think that he didn't love that amazing body of hers...which he did. Far too much for his own liking.

It took every fiber of will power to resist the urge to just pull down her panties when he lay spooning her. He nearly had a wet dream about making love to her, but woke up when her ass bumped against his erection. Luckily she stayed asleep.

People started to take notice of the fact that in the morning, Marie would emerge from his room, yawning and running a hand through just slept-in hair. Students started talking and eventually word got back to Storm. She called them into her office, and suddenly, both he and Marie were kids in the principal's office.

Storm sat behind her desk with her hands clasped in front of her, "I've heard...rumors...that Marie has been sleeping in your room Logan. Is this true?"

Logan and Marie both nodded and shrugged nonchalantly, "Yea...every night. What's the problem?"

Storm looked stunned at their dismissive attitudes, "Well-It's...I..dont't you think if you two want to carry on a relationship like that you should at least inform me? I know Rogue is an adult now-"

Logan held up a hand as Marie looked down and suppressed a chuckle, "Uh...Ro, we're not doing what I think you think we're doing. Rogue doesn't have her nightmares when she sleeps in bed with me...so she sleeps in bed with me. That's it."

Storm raised her eyebrows in realization, "Oh...ooh! Well I'm glad you've found a...um...creative way to suppress your nightmares Rogue."

Soon, Logan and Rogue were walking out of Storm's office, nearly doubling over in laughter.

He started teaching Danger Room Sessions and Self Defense Techniques classes at the mansion. Storm needed the help and he was happy to oblige, especially since they were so short staffed.

The guilt he still felt for leaving her after Jean's death continued to eat away at him. She had been through so much, but he still left. The professor and Storm had been right...he needed to become someone she could really depend on...so he did.  


* * *

Rogue thought it was a baby Jesus miracle that she and Logan had managed to sleep in the same bed for weeks in a row without so much as a kiss on the mouth. He had given her a lingering kiss on the cheek one night before they went to bed, but that was it.

It was like a sexless marriage, only much happier. She was starting to crave him when he laid down and wrapped his arms around her. His scent was something she had memorized and grown to adore more than any other scent in existence. Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and roses had nothing on the fresh, yet manly scent of Logan.

He smelled like a southern summer rain and soap. Like he had showered outdoors. She found herself falling into a deeper, far more meaningful love with him. The school girl hero worship had disappeared as she grew to love the man...not the hero.

The man who would go out and buy her favorite ice cream and label it "Wolverine" so no one would touch it.

The man who was teaching her how to ride his precious motorcycle.

The man who held her body against his every night without attempting to take advantage of her, just to keep her nightmares at bay.

She was helplessly, utterly and painfully in love with this man.

When she realized it, a painful gnawing hit the pit of her gut. What if he didn't feel the same way? He had slept next to her without trying a thing...and although she'd felt the nudge of his erection a few times, she figured that was just apart of being a guy. All men had "morning wood".

If he wanted her, he would have tried something by now, right?

Somewhere on the other end of the mansion, Logan was thinking the exact same thing.


	7. Loud Inner Monologues

**Just to prevent any confusion: Thoughts are italicized. **

* * *

Rogue had a particularly long day today. She had started taking classes at a local college and then came back to the mansion to find some of the younger kids in need of rounding up. She wanted to go to bed early.

They had both gotten so comfortable and used to sleeping in bed together, she simply walked into his room and climbed into bed when she was ready to lay down. She showered and tossed on a tank top and some shorts before going to his room. When she opened the door, she caught a glimpse of the monster that swung between his legs as he jumped and covered himself with the towel that he had been using to dry his freshly washed hair.

Logan fumbled to cover himself with the towel as Marie did her best to avert her eyes. They both yelled out apologies.

Marie stood in the open doorway, trying to decide whether to run out and close the door, or run in and close the door. Logan made the decision for her as he rushed over and grabbed her in, shutting the door just before a couple of students walked by.

Her face was bright red as he turned around to look at her. He started to say something, but she blurted out the only thing she thought would diffuse the situation, "I didn't see it!"

_Smooth_. She had to resist the urge to smack her forehead.

He cocked his head to the side and almost laughed. He didn't know how much she did see...but he thought he was sure she had at least caught a glimpse of "it". She was blushing hard and trembling as he spoke, "Well, sorry about that, kid. You're a little early tonight."

"I know. I'm sorry. I don't have to sleep in here if you don't-"

"Get in the bed, kid."

She nodded and followed his instructions like an obedient child, climbing into bed and pulling the covers to her chin. After a few moments, she heard the lamp click and felt his weight join her on the bed. She knew that from that moment on, she would have the image of his fully naked body burned into her mind.

* * *

They managed to get over the naked incident, until Marie started dreaming again. They weren't nightmares...far from it. They were fully x-rated, vivid dreams starring a very naked, very hard Logan.

The first night she had the dream, she had only let out a few soft moans in the middle of the night. Barely enough to awaken the man who was used to all her little sleeping noises. The dreams continued mercilessly.

She hated them, mainly because she ALWAYS woke up right before she was supposed to cum in the dream. She was starting to eye him like a ribeye whenever she saw him.

One afternoon, she watched him from a balcony as he crouched down beside his bike. She happened to glance out the window as she walked by, carrying a folder and a pen. Marie stopped so quickly, a student who had been walking behind her accidentally slammed into her back. She quickly moved to the balcony to get a better look at her adonis as he worked on his bike. He was wearing a gray tank top and his muscles glistened with sweat.

Marie chewed on the cap of the pen ferociously as he stood and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand and cracked his neck and inadvertently flexed his delicious muscles.

Soon the pen cap was a mangled bundle of plastic in her mouth and she had to keep from choking on it when Jubilee walked up and smacked her on her back, "Hey chica, whatcha lookin' at...ooh HELLO!"

Obviously, Jubilee had followed Marie's eyes to the sweaty, muscle bound Wolverine as he performed manual labor. Marie rolled her eyes, "Jubes, stop gawking."

"Says the girl who now eats pen caps. How do you sleep next to THAT without turning into some wanton slut?"

Marie blushed heavily and playfully shoved Jubes toward the door after taking one last long look at Logan before disappearing inside.

* * *

Logan had mastered the art of watching her without staring. He wished she still wore the scarves, opera gloves and floor length skirts...instead of he hip hugging shorts and fitted tank tops.

He hated summer because of her.

On one particular evening when she came to bed wearing little more than a tank top and boy shorts panties, he had a hard time sleeping. He had stared at her in disbelief as she walked into the room and took off her robe.

Yea, it was hot out, but **damn**.

He laid awake all night, resisting the urge to lift up the sheet and help himself to another eyeful of her copious amounts of exposed flesh. She had been asleep for a couple of hours or so when he heard her start moaning. At first his heart sank. He thought she was having a nightmare. He started to lean over to wake her up when she moaned his name and arched her back, running a hand over her body. He watched in shock when her hand rested on her crotch and she whispered his name once more before biting her lip seductively.

A feral animal rose up inside of him and nearly caused him to reach over and snatch her out of her dream to fulfill every delicious fantasy she had stored up in that head of hers, but he quickly catapulted himself out of the bed.

A school girl crush, he could handle...but her having the same thoughts about him as he had of her? He didn't think he could handle that. Jean was gone, so Marie was actually the only person keeping him from jumping her bones...now that he knew the real Marie wanted him...not the crazy psycho bitch from Alkali Lake. Warm, sweet, caring Marie, wanted him.

He couldn't let it happen. No matter how much they wanted each other, he had to remember that she deserved better than him. He couldn't let her waste her life on a jackass like him.

* * *

Logan stopped sleeping so close to her because he could feel his self control waning. Her moans started waking him up and when they did, he'd end up having to leave the bed to go for a walk, or maybe take a cold shower. He wanted her so badly, he couldn't trust himself to even kiss her forehead anymore.

Marie, in the meantime, was growing impatient with her dreams and started wanting the real thing more and more. She could only almost cum while dreaming of him so many times...it was driving her crazy.

As her dreams grew more vivid, so did her boldness. She was going to start to take steps to get what she wanted.

First step: wear less.

Luckily, it was summer time, so she could use the heat as an excuse to wear next to nothing both to bed and around the mansion. Logan tried not to notice, but that body slept in his bed...where he was most vulnerable. The desire was penetrating the Logan layer of his being and provoking the feral animal that lie deep within. If she kept prancing into his bedroom wearing those tiny little panties and tank tops, she was gonna get what she had wanted, and maybe a little more.

* * *

As they fell asleep one evening, Marie rolled over onto her side, "Logan...you awake?"

He sighed heavily, "No."

Marie smiled. That was his usual reply.

She ran a hand through her hair, "I can't sleep..."

"Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. It'll happen."

She pouted and tried to think of the right words to say to get things moving. Maybe it was time to cut the bull shit.

"I've been dreaming about you, Logan."

He stopped breathing for a moment as he thought of every single curse word or phrase he'd ever heard in his life. He knew she was referring to *those* dreams. The ones that made her touch herself and moan his name as she slept. The dreams that he really wanted to make a reality, but couldn't allow himself to.

He decided to play dumb and just lay there on his back with his eyes closed, "You afraid I'm gonna hurt you in my sleep? I haven't had a bad dream til you became my bunk mate."

"Is that what it's called? A bunk mate?"

Logan sighed, "You should get some rest, kid." In his head, he was repeating, _Don't say it. Don't say it. Don't say it._

He didn't have to worry about her saying it...because she tried to do it.

He felt her small hand drift over his chest as he lay next to her, causing him to tense. Her voice was breathy and seductive, "My dreams weren't very innocent when it came to you, Logan."

It took everything he had in him to concentrate on not getting hard. It had been a long time since he had sex last and with a feral side like his, that could be terribly dangerous.

Her hand drifted lower to his stomach, but he caught her wrist and moved it away before quickly sitting up in the bed, "Marie...what the hell do you think you're doing?"

She sat up and scooted up behind him, laying a soft kiss on his back, "Logan, you know I've always loved you."

He jumped up and took a few deep breaths. His regenerative powers couldn't save him from this pain, "Marie, that's not love, that's confusion."

Her eyebrows knitted in frustration and surprise, "You think I'm too stupid to know the difference?"

"No, kid. I think you're too young."

By now, they were both sitting up. Marie reached over and clicked on the lamp, "I'm too young? Well that's not condescending at all."

"Marie, you're a young...woman and I've been a constant fixture in your life for four years...then we're sleeping together every night. It's only normal that you get confused."

She crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side, "Do you remember when I was under Stryker's influence at Alkali Lake?"

_Shit._ She was pulling out the big guns. She had tried to seduce him at Alkali Lake. When she kissed him, he kissed her back...fervently.

He stood and growled a little, "Kid...just leave it alone."

"No! You kissed me back Logan...you put your hands on me."

"It was in the middle of the mission. It's possible to mistake adrenaline for sexual tension."

"Bullshit."

He searched the room for a shirt, "I don't have to defend myself...you're the one with the issue."

She put her hands on her hips as she knelt on the bed, "What issue would that be?"

Logan got distracted by how sexy she looked...kneeling there like she was waiting to be thrown down and fucked properly. He stuttered slightly, "Th-th-that you think you're in love with me and we have some sort of sex...thing."

"I don't have an issue, Logan. I have insight. Did you forget that when I touch people, I can see their thoughts? I gain a part of their conscience."

He paused for a moment and looked at her before pulling a shirt over his head, "You need to get this out of your head, kid."

He headed for the door, but stopped abruptly when she blurted, "You're scared!"

He turned around and glared. The Wolverine...or Logan, for that matter, wasn't scared of anything. Including a 19 year old girl...a hot 19 year old girl who was kneeling on his bed with nothing but panties and a satin chemise on.

He stalked to the bed and pointed at her, "I'm not scared of anything. I'm bothered by the fact that I tried to do a nice thing for a friend and now I'm being accosted about some crazy feelings you think I have."

Voices were getting raised now.

"You are unbelievable! Even if you didn't care for me, I can at least deduce that you at least find me attractive! I know regular dudes have to wait until the morning to have morning wood Mr. Midnight Hard On!"

He got louder as he took a step closer to her.

"Well I AM a man and you do come to bed wearing next to nothing! What do you expect? It's not like I'm your brother or dead or something!" _Whoops. Way to keep your cards hidden, man._

She crawled to the edge of the bed and pointed at him as she yelled in triumph, "So you DO find me attractive!"

By now they were right in front of each other.

He raised his hands, "Well yea! Who wouldn't?" _Shitballs. I keep digging this hole deeper and deeper!_

"You never said anything!"

"Well I'm sayin' it now, Marie!" _Wait...what?_

"Fine!"

"Fine."

Before either of them could properly react, they snatched their bodies together as his lips came crashing down on hers in a hungry kiss. He grabbed her and wrapped her legs around his waist as they fell backwards onto the bed. Logan was instantly hard when he felt her body beneath his.

He needed to stop, but he didn't want to. He had to work quickly before his mind took over and convinced him to stop, so his movements were quick and borderline violent. He reached down and ripped her panties from her body as she jumped and moaned against his mouth.

He roughly ran his hands over her body as he ground himself against her. Logan smirked as he felt her bare pussy wetting up the front of his pajama pants. Just as he reached down to snatch his pants down and enter her, they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

Finally. He was brought back to reality. He scrambled off of her and stood, whispering urgently, "Cover up!"

She scooted under the sheets and laid down as he readjusted himself in his pants before opening the door. It was Storm, looking exhausted, "What was all that yelling about?"

Logan ran a hand through his hair, "What yelling?"

"I heard you two, yelling."

Logan nodded and raised his eyes in fake realization, "Oh! Right...we were just arguing over some football. She thinks the Saints will make it to the Super Bowl again and I think it was just luck."

Storm raised a brow and shook her head, "Riiight...just...just keep it down, ok?"

He was trying too hard and he knew it. He was actually smiling and laughing, "No problem! We're sorry. No football talk after midnight for us! Goodnight!"

When he closed the door he rested his forehead against the cool wood. He didn't want to turn around. He could still smell her arousal.

Logan felt like a starving man who had been sitting outside of a steakhouse, smelling barbecue. She was delicious.

When he did turn around, she was sitting up with the sheet clutched to her naked chest. _When did her shirt come off?_ That didn't matter.

He shook his head, "It's not a good idea kid..."

She started to say something, but it was too late. He was high tailing it down the hallway. He needed to get as far away from that delicious body as possible before he attempted to devour her whole.

* * *

**Hehe...I'm a tease!**


	8. So Close But So Far Away

Marie didn't know what to do or say to him after their near-sex experience, so she didn't do or say anything. She felt kind of odd and embarrassed, so she left his room immediately after.

She stopped sleeping in his room altogether.

They avoided each other like the plague and she made it a point to give him the cold shoulder whenever they were in the same room together. Their change of attitude didn't go unnoticed by Storm, who eyed them both suspiciously on a daily basis, but never said a word concerning their "relationship".

He noticed that she stopped wearing his tags. She started openly flirting with other guys, but it was only in an attempt to make him jealous and get him to believe that she wasn't as hung up on him as he thought...but she was.

It took a few days for her dreams to come back, while Logan's dreams resumed immediately.

When Marie woke up, screaming a bloodcurdling scream, he reached over in his bed, blindly fumbling for a body that wasn't there. When he was had fully woken up and realized that she wasn't in his room with him, he hesitated briefly before entering her room and taking her by the shoulders. She had been thrashing for a while and was tangled up in her sheets.

Logan gave her a firm shake "Come out of it, kid!"

Rogue opened her eyes and took a few breaths before erupting into heart wrenching sobs. She grabbed a hold of him and trembled as he shut his eyes and stroked the back of her head.

His heart was breaking for her.

He held her close as her sobs subsided, "Shh kid. I'm here."

When she finally calmed enough, she pulled back and wiped her face, "Why won't it stop? Why can't the dreams just stop?"

Logan shook his head and pursed is lips. He looked down at her chest and noticed the distinct absence of his dog tags. She followed his eyes and sniffled a bit, "I didn't think you wanted me wearin' em anymore."

He looked back up into her eyes and shook his head, "I never meant to make it seem like I didn't care about you kid. I just don't think we should look at each other in that way."

She wiped at another stray tear and searched his eyes, "Why?"

Logan looked away and took a shivering breath, "Lots of reasons...but just know that I'll always do my best to take care of you. No matter what, you're still my friend...you're still my Marie."

He kissed her forehead and shut his eyes as he took in a deep whiff of her scent. Even with the fear and sorrow he smelled in the room, her soft, sweet scent was still delicious.

Logan climbed into bed with her and stroked her hair as she fell asleep. He heard her whisper, "I love you" right before she fell into a pleasant, dreamless slumber. He stayed awake and watched her for a few moments as she slept before kissing her forehead again and mouthed the words "I love you" back to her.  


* * *

As if it were a silent agreement, Marie resumed sleeping in his bed every evening, but she started coming in later and later...sometimes even after he had laid down. She'd always give a vocal warning when entering his room to avoid being mistaken for an intruder.

She also started wearing more to bed, and it wasn't just because Autumn had arrived. She had given up on him. Marie trusted that Logan had very good reasons for not wanting to take their relationship to a new level, and she knew it had something to do with the guilt that stemmed from her captivity at Alkali Lake.

She knew he blamed himself for the fact that she was haunted by those horrifying nightmares that left her unable to fend for herself at night. She had to respect that...but at the same time, she couldn't pine for him forever.

She never did put back on the dog tags, and his pride refused to allow him to ask her to. By all standards, she was fair game in the mansion, and the older boys took note. Warren, in particular, paid plenty of close attention to her. Marie kind of liked him. He was sort of aloof and seemed to brood a lot...just like Logan.

The mutant they called "Angel" was a bit hesitant about getting close to Rogue, especially since it was rumored that she still slept in the Wolverine's room. She reassured him that their situation was purely plutonic, so he started to loosen up a bit around her.

They frequently took walks on the property, ate together and had movie nights. She enjoyed his company, but his clean cut appearance didn't do very much for her sexually. He was "cute".

Logan watched her interactions with Warren from afar as he fought back feelings of resentment and jealousy. Who was he to be jealous? He had denied her, after all. He tried to trick his mind into thinking he was happy she found someone else, but in reality, he wanted her so badly he hated himself for it.

Her connection to him had put her in grave danger and changed her for the worst. He had to remind himself of that every time he thought about snatching her body to his as she slept beside him.  


* * *

The more Marie's life outside of Logan expanded, the more resentful he got. He was starting to hate the fact that all they did was sleep next to each other. They didn't hang out anymore and they rarely talked. He didn't expect her to become so distant.

He missed her.

Until he figured out to fix his situation with Marie, he diverted his energy back to discovering more of his past. Logan used the information Marie drew from Stryker to further investigate his history.

After weeks of research, he found out that he still legally owned some property in the Canadian mountains. It took a lot of running around to find out the location, but as soon as he got off the phone, he went rushing through the mansion to tell the one person he thought would care.  


* * *

Marie sat on the couch with Warren, laughing about the movie they'd just gotten back from seeing. As their laughter died down, Warren looked into her eyes and leaned in. Marie knew the moment was a long time coming. She'd been conflicted about the fact that she didn't feel a truly passionate sexual connection to him...but maybe a kiss would do the trick.

Maybe one kiss would be enough to help create the spark that she needed to start seeing him on a more than plutonic basis. As he leaned in, she moved closer and closed her eyes as their lips connected chastely. Warren jumped away from her as they both heard Logan clear his throat from where he stood in the doorway.

Marie stood and took a deep breath, "Logan...what are you doing here?"

"Would ask you two the same thing", he said as he sauntered into the room, crossing his arms. He looked at Warren, "Could you give us a minute, bub?"

The younger, much smaller man held his grown and stood, staring right back at Logan. He looked at Marie, then kissed her cheek, making Logan tense visibly, "Yea...I'll talk to you later, Rogue."

Logan smiled internally. At least he wasn't calling her Marie...that was a privilege still held solely by him.

When Warren cleared the room, Marie ran a hand through her hair, "What's up?"

He smirked, "So you and Warren, huh?"

Marie shifted uncomfortably. It would be great to know if he was jealous, but she didn't want to talk about another guy with him. She shrugged her shoulders, "We're friends, Logan."

He regarded her carefully for a moment, then took a step forward, "Right...well I was coming to find you cause I found out some more information about my past."

She raised her eyebrows and smiled, "That's great! What's up?"

"Seems I own a cabin or something in the mountains in British Columbia. I wanted to go check it out."

Her face drooped immediately, "Oh...well, that...that's great."

He smirked and nudged her shoulder, "Perk up, kid. You look like someone shot your puppy."

She forced a good natured smile and rolled her eyes, "I know...it's just...it's gonna be rough without you. With my nightmares and all."

Before he could properly think about what he was saying, he opened his mouth and let the words pour forth, "I want you to come with me."

Marie's head snapped up in surprise as she stared at him wide eyed for a moment, "You want me to come with you?"

He did. He didn't want to leave her there alone with her nightmares...and Warren, but at the same time, he knew that taking her somewhere where it was just the two of them would mean trouble. He didn't think of that until the words were coming out of his mouth. Logan looked back at her and smiled. Her face was so full of surprise and hope, he couldn't change his mind, "Yea kid...absolutely."

She clasped her hands together and smiled, "Sure. I'd love to get outta here for a few days! When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow...we can ask Storm if we can take the truck."

"Awesome! I'm gonna go pack!" she kissed his cheek and rushed out of the room, leaving him to smack his forehead.

Brilliant. A road trip with the woman who he loved and desired more than life itself. This was going to be easy.

* * *

**Reviews please! Thanks so much for reading. Road trip=smut. Stay tuned.**


	9. Give It Up To Me

Marie would have been the perfect travel companion if he wasn't desperately in love with her. She packed sandwiches, bottled water, chips and fruit for their road trip. She had bounded out of the mansion wearing a pony tail and cute, hip hugging sweat pants and a long sleeved, v neck shirt.

To anyone else, they would think she looked dressed down and rugged, but to him, she looked perfect. She was surprisingly chipper for their 5am wake up call, but she didn't bother him with constant excited chatter or persistent questions about their destination. She just rode in pleasant silence, alternating between reading, listening to her iPod or just staring out the window.

She eventually fell asleep, but woke up during their first gas station stop. Logan was trying to make it to Illinois before sun down.

She got out and went to the restroom, then returned to the truck with some beef jerky. Marie smiled and offered him some, "Remember this? This is what you gave to me to eat when we first met."

He laughed and took some jerky from her, "Yea...I remember."

She took a sip of water, "Ever wonder where we'd be if you hadn't stopped your camper?"

Logan's smile slowly faded. She'd probably be dead and he'd still be wandering aimlessly through Canada, fighting like an animal in cages. He glanced at her and smirked, "I try not to, kid."

He began to realize that no matter what she'd been through because of him...she was better off being with him, than without him.  


* * *

That evening, they stopped off at a road side hotel. He stepped out to smoke a cigar while she undressed and showered. He made the mistake of glancing back toward the window that led into their room. It seemed she didn't close the curtains as well as she thought she had. There was a small sliver of space between the two pieces of fabric that was just big enough to allow him to see into their room.

He watched her as she stepped out of the bathroom, fully naked and still glistening wet. Logan immediately bit his lip as he watched her dry her hair and walk to her bag. He had to force himself to look away as she leaned over to pick up her lotion.

He paced back and forth outside, panting as if he'd just run a marathon. He waited a decent amount of time, then walked into the room, flashing her a brief, uneasy smile as he removed his jacket and sat down on the bed to remove his shoes.

He kept his eyes to the floor. He had only glanced at her for a second, but he knew she was wearing one of his old flannel shirts.

To him, a woman wearing his clothes was sexier than any piece of lingerie in the Victoria's Secret catalog. Just throw on one of his over sized shirts and the captain is ready to salute.

He walked to the bathroom, which was still humid and smelled soft and flowery...just like her. He closed his eyes and shivered slightly as he remembered her completely naked body. He'd never seen anything more perfect.

She laid on her side in bed, reading when he came back out, dressed in pajama pants and a tank top. The shirt she wore rode up a little on her thigh, revealing just a glimpse of the red panties underneath.

He laid down beside her as her back stayed turned to him while she read. He heard her close the book as she spoke, "You know...I think about what would have happened to me if you hadn't stopped that camper four years ago...I think about it all the time."

"You do?"

She nodded and rolled over as she looked at his profile, "Mhm. I'd be dead. You literally gave me the ride of my life. The reason I'm even alive right now, starts and ends with you, Logan."

He glanced at her in the dimly lit room, "It's because of me that you have all these nightmares, kid. Stryker tortured you and almost killed you because of me. He wanted a way to get to me and he knew you..."

His voice trailed off as Marie sat up a little, "He knew what?"

"The tags. They were a dead give away that you were tied to me...bound to me in some way. I knew my past was dangerous. It was stupid of me to give 'em to you. You're right to not wear 'em anymore."

Marie scooted out of bed and walked over to her bag, pulling the tags from a pocket on the side, "I still keep them with me wherever I go...in my pocket, in my purse...they're always close by. And I didn't stop wearing them because I'm afraid of someone from your past coming back to hurt me."

He sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed, "Why did you stop wearing them?"

She shrugged and looked down as she fiddled with the chain in her hand, "You didn't want me...so I couldn't go around the mansion looking like your marked property. I needed to show other guys I was free...even if I wished I wasn't."

Logan looked down, "I'm no good for you."

Marie draped the tags over her head and let them fall back to her chest. She walked over to him and nudged his legs apart so that she was standing between his knees, looking down at him, "Why don't you let me decide what's good for me?"

Logan inhaled sharply as he raised his hands to take her waist, but they stopped short about an inch from actually making contact. He shook his head as his hands continued to hover over her body...just itching to touch her, "Marie...step back."

She undid the top button of her shirt, "No."

Logan trembled as he tried look down at the ground, but instead, got an eyeful of her amazing legs. There was no way he was going to maintain his self control if she continued to stand between his legs like this. He shut his eyes and shook his head again, "Marie...step back...now."

She unbuttoned another button as her voice grew seductive and breathy, "No."

There was a moment of tense silence before he grabbed her hips and quickly stood, pushing her backwards until he slammed her against the dresser. He pressed his body against hers and continued to squeeze her hips as he stared down into her face. His body shook from uncontrolled desire as he whispered, "What is wrong with you? Don't you know I'm no fucking good?"

Marie was breathing heavily as she brought her hands up to take his face with both hands in an attempt to pull his lips to hers, but he resisted and tightened his grip on her hips. She could feel a prominent bulge roughly pressing against her as she whispered, "I ain't afraid of you Wolverine...you forget just how tough I am."

He brought a hand up and grabbed her neck as he stroked her jawline with his thumb as he stared into her eyes intensely, "I'm damn near indestructible...but I'd find a way to kill myself if I ever hurt you."

Marie closed her eyes as she felt his hand move slightly lower to the partially open shirt she wore. He let his hand wander further down to where his tags rested between her breasts, "I trust you, Logan...take me. Make me yours, please."

He quickly and roughly pressed his lips to hers. It didn't matter how much time they had. For all he knew, he was on death row and needed to savor the last ten minutes of his life.

He snatched back from the kiss briefly as he picked her up and set her on the dresser before bringing his lips back to hers. Logan ripped open the shirt to reveal her naked breasts, which he barely had the chance to look at as she wrapped her long legs around his waist.

Her moans spurred him on as his lips moved to her neck, grazing her soft skin with his teeth along the way. Marie was urgently pulling at his clothing and yanking his body to hers at the same time.

He broke the kiss again before reaching up the bottom of her shirt and ripping her panties off in one swift, brutal, motion that caused her to jump and gasp.

She took the opportunity to yank his shirt off over his head and pull his pajama pants down on his waist just enough to free his throbbing erection from its restraints. Logan snaked his fingers through her hair and grabbed the back of her head before yanking it back violently to give him more access to her neck.

She closed her eyes and moaned as he trailed kisses from her neck down the center of her chest. Marie tried to tilt her head, but was unable to move against his firm grasp on her hair, which he only loosened when he brought his lips back to hers.

When the kiss ended, he leaned back and watched her face as he inserted a finger inside of her. He smirked in smug satisfaction as her eyes rolled closed and she gripped onto his arm, "Oh Logan..."

All too soon, he removed his finger from her tight, wet embrace and picked her up, tossing her onto the bed. Marie opened her legs invitingly as he crawled up her body, trailing kisses from her stomach, to her breasts and neck as he settled between her legs.

He reached down and aimed his cock up with her dripping entrance before shoving inside. She arched her back against him and cried out loudly from the intense mix of pain and pleasure.

He tried to give her time to adjust, but his body was no longer under his control. Logan began thrusting in and out of her as he reached down and gripped her ass, almost lifting her hips completely off the bed as he fucked her.

It didn't take long before all of her pain had been replaced with body wracking pleasure. Marie gripped the headboard and let out a seductive moan every time he pushed into her, making him grunt and groan in sheer ecstasy.

Their bodies were glistening with a soft sheen of sweat by the time she started to cum. Her body jerked and bucked beneath him as she let out a loud, delicious cry of release, triggering Logan's own powerful orgasm. He threw his head back and roared in triumph as he desperately shoved himself inside of her once more.

They panted heavily as his body slowly and jerkily relaxed. He struggled to keep from collapsing on top of her as he pulled from her and flopped onto his back next to her.

Her body was still trembling slightly when he had recovered enough to gather her into his arms and kiss her. He whispered, "I didn't hurt you did I?"

She shook her head and took a shaky breath, "No...not at all."

Logan stared up at the ceiling as he protectively cradled her in his arms. He surmised that it no longer mattered how good or bad he thought he was for her...he was hers and she was his.

* * *

**SMUT as promised! Reviews please! Thanks guys! I hope you're enjoying it!**


	10. You and Me Together

Logan couldn't wait for her to wake up the next morning. It was still dark outside when he started gently running his hands over her body in a desperate, and horny attempt to wake her. He felt like a heroine addict craving his next fix. There was no going back now...he had a taste, and now he was strung out.

She moaned gently in her sleep as he kissed her neck and pressed his hard on against her ass, whispering, "I need you."

She smiled lazily and rolled over as she stretched, "I'm all yours."

He moved down her naked body and kissed her thighs softly. He gripped them and spread her legs before dipping his face into her mound, hungrily licking and sucking the soft folds there. Her eyes popped open in pleasant surprise as she let out a squeaky moan, "Whoa!"

He moaned in agreement and continued fervently sucking and licking at her clit. She reached down with both hands and gripped the back of his head as her hips began involuntarily rolling with the movements of his tongue. She felt lost in her own, perfect little world as the man of her dreams lay with his face buried between her legs.

She couldn't think of a better way to wake up...well, maybe if there was some french toast beside her bed.

Marie's moans grew louder as she sat up on her elbow, while one hand remained on the back of his head, "Yes...yes...yes..."

Logan lifted his head up and quickly turned her body over, forcing her on all fours. He shoved himself inside of her from behind as her gathered her hair in his hand. She moaned and gripped onto the sheets as he forcefully yanked her back onto his dick over and over again.

He used her hair to snatch her backwards, forcing her to sit up on her knees as he continued to pump into her. Logan grabbed her breast with one hand and reached down to softly caress her clit with the other hand, all the while, still fucking her from behind. Marie tried to find the strength to open her eyes, but the intense pleasure prevented her from doing anything other than moan in passionate surrender.

When they came together, Marie saw stars and nearly blacked out. Logan laid reverent kisses on her back before pulling from her and collapsing onto the bed as she fell next to him, panting and laughing softly, "Wow...I wish I could have that kind of wake up call every morning."

He smirked and kissed her forehead, "Come on beautiful...we gotta hit the road."  


* * *

Within an hour (and after a shower) they were back on the road. After a few moments of silence, Marie stretched a little, "So, I know I'm not supposed to ask this but...what are we now? What am I?

He smirked at her briefly before turning his eyes back to the road, "You're mine, kid."

She leaned over and kissed his neck, "What does that mean exactly?"

"Keep that up and I'm gonna have to pull this truck over and show you."

She laughed and plopped back into her seat, "I'd like to see you try, Wolverine."

It took him about an hour before he made good on his promise. He pulled off on an empty exit with an abandoned gas station and promptly pounced on her. They wrestled for a bit as they kissed, attempting to find the best way to execute their road side quickie.

Eventually, they figured out that Marie being on top was their best bet. She yanked off her pants and panties while he opened his pants and pulled his hard member out. She climbed on top of him and lowered herself onto his cock as she moaned and began rolling her hips onto him.

He lifted up her shirt and yanked her bra cup down, freeing her breast so that he could attach his mouth to her nipple. She gasped as she rolled her hips harder and quicker, gripping onto his shoulders.

They continued like that for barely 10 minutes before they both came, laughing at the ridiculousness of their situation. Within minutes, they were back on the road.

They were somewhere in North Dakota when they stopped again. As soon as they entered their hotel room, Logan yanked down both of their pants and fucked her against the door with the bed mere feet away. He held one of her legs up around his waist as his jeans and boxers still laid in a heap around his ankles.

When they finished and had showered, he stopped her when she picked up her pajamas, "No beautiful...stay just like that." He pulled her into bed and kissed her back as he spooned up behind her, "I've wanted you for so long...but I didn't think I was good enough."

She turned over to face him and smiled, "Well, maybe you aren't...but I can't get enough of you."

He laughed as he traced invisible designs on the skin of her hip and waist, admiring the soft curves of her body. He took a breath and looked back into her eyes, "The feeling is mutual."  


* * *

It took another day full of driving and countless stops to ask for directions before they finally made it to Logan's mountain top cabin. When they pulled up, Logan got out and surveyed the area as he approached the door. Dormant memories began slowly flashing before his mind's eye as he opened the door and walked in. Marie followed behind.

The air inside the cabin was thick and smelled of mildew and old wood. Cob webs and dust covered virtually every surface inside, but it was lovely. A Native American tapestry hung over a stone fireplace and the kitchen was small, but functional and there was a bedroom and bathroom located directly off of the living room.

After a more in depth inspection of the property, Logan discovered a well and generator located out back. The generator was still in tact, but in need of fuel, while the well was full and the water seemed to work fine.

They drove to the nearest town and checked into a motel. Logan sat on the floor in between Marie's open legs as she massaged his shoulders, "So what do you wanna do with the place? It looks gorgeous."

He reached back and pulled one of her legs over his shoulder before softly kissing her calf, "You like it?"

She nodded and put some more work into massaging him, "Mmhm. It's beautiful...especially the views. It's just amazing."

He allowed the words to sink in as he caressed her legs, "I think I wanna fix it up...stay there for a few days."  


* * *

The next day, they went to the general store and bought some tools, cleaning supplies, new sheets, towels, food, etc. The man at the store eyed Logan like he knew him, but said nothing.

When they got back to the cabin, they went to work. Marie worked on cleaning the inside while Logan checked the pipes and worked on the generator. When he was done there, he came inside to help her clean to find that she was almost finished. After finally scrubbing the last of surfaces and sweeping the last of the dust bunnies out the door, Logan surveyed the cabin and nodded, "It looks good."

She smiled and wiped the sweat from her forehead, "I hope you got the water working because I need a bath."

He growled playfully and grabbed her waist, yanking her to him, "I like you dirty."

Marie laughed and wrinkled up her nose at his oil covered shirt, "Ew! You're nasty!"

She giggled and struggled to get free of his grasp as he kissed her cheeks and neck, "If I'm nasty, you're nasty."  


* * *

An hour later, she was on top of him in the tub, rolling her hips as he gripped onto her back. The movements of their love making caused water to splash to the floor.

When they finished, she got out of the bath tub and put on her pajamas, then went rummaging through the drawers in the bedroom. She picked up a photo album and opened it. The first page contained a picture of Logan with a beautiful, dark haired woman. He was kissing her temple while she smiled at the camera. In the background, stood the cabin.

Marie continued looking through the pictures and eventually spotted the man from the general store who had been staring so intently at them when they came in in one of the pictures.

Marie opened the dresser to find women's clothing mixed in with plaid shirts and tank tops that were so obviously Logan's. He appeared in the doorway wearing a towel, "What you doin' beautiful?"

She jumped and looked up at him, "I found some pictures of Kayla...and some of her clothes."

Logan's eyebrows furrowed as he stepped into the room and looked down at the pictures Marie had discovered. He closed his eyes, "Kayla..."

Marie bit her lip, "It looks like you two shared a lot of good times together..."

He looked back at her and took her hand, "She's just a part of my past, kid...but you...you're my future."

* * *

**I had to give you some smuff before I threw their world into chaos! There is definitely some adventure/angst/drama and a bit o' violence coming up, so stay tuned!**


	11. When the Past Comes Back to Bite

**Brace yourself. If you're not able to handle sensitive subjects (such as rape/non-consensual sex) then this may not be the chapter for you.**

* * *

Marie and Logan contacted the mansion on the communicator in the truck when they realized they wanted to stay a bit longer than they had planned. They had heard that an early winter storm was on the way and decided to hunker down and cozy up together in the cabin until it blew over.

* * *

He'd been watching them since somewhere outside of New York.

Victor had been keeping tabs on his little brother for months, off and on. He knew he had settled in that little school with all of the geeks, but it wasn't until he had hit the road with that girl in tow that he actually felt the need to make his presence known...well, to her at least.

That pretty little thing with the white streak in her hair.

Victor couldn't explain his desire for her. Maybe it was the way she looked at his brother...maybe it was simply his sadistic need to cause pain wherever he went...but he simply couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

In all of his long years, he'd never had a woman look at him the way she looked at Jimmy. It was fascinating to him.

He let them be for a while, just to let them feel safe and comfortable...but then he sensed the weather change. A storm was coming. His time had to be soon.

He watched them in their cozy little cabin and smiled as Logan kissed her. He was getting ready to go into town to get the supplies they'd need for the storm.

"Yea little brother...a storm is definitely comin'."  


* * *

Logan kissed her cheek, "You sure you don't wanna come?"

Marie shook her head and kissed his lips, "Nah...I wanted to finally try to use this kitchen. Go ahead. I'll try to have dinner finished when you get back."

Logan laughed and kissed her nose, "Try not to burn the place down, kid."

She gave him a fake pout as he left. She immediately busied herself in the kitchen, chopping up vegetables. She jumped and cut herself on the finger when the wind blew one of the large patio doors open, slamming it against the wall.

She hissed and shook her hand, examining the small cut as she walked to the patio and stepped out. The clouds were approaching and the temperature had dropped considerably. She shivered slightly before walking back in and closing the door behind her.

Marie walked to the bathroom to clean her wound. As she looked down and ran the water over her cut, she felt the distinct feeling of someone behind her, but when she turned around, no one was there.

She took a deep breath and shook her head, trying to dismiss the paranoia she felt welling within her.

When she walked back out into the kitchen, she noticed the patio door was open again, but this time, it hadn't been blown open. It simply looked like someone had opened it to walk in.

A cold chill ran down her spine as she slowly approached the door.

Before she could properly react, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and she was snatched against a large, muscular body, "What's the matter gorgeous? Afraid of the boogie man?"

He laughed sinisterly as he let her scream and snatch away, whirling around to look at her attacker. She was face to face with a man who was very similar to her Logan. His muttonchops, his jawline...the feral-like glint in his eyes. But he was definitely not the same as her Logan.

He was wild...angry...animal-like. In her mind, it clicked...this was Victor. The evil animal from the memories she had pulled from Stryker.

Her eyes darted around the cabin for an escape route as she backed up. All the while, he was taking slow, purposeful steps toward her, "I can see why you're so appealing to him. Everything about you is intoxicating...from that sexy little body to your smell. Mmhm little lady...you're gonna be a fun one."

"Why are you here?"

He effortlessly scratched grooves in the table behind the couch as he backed her up against the wall and looked down at at her neck where his brother's dog tags hung.

He leaned in, "My little brother takes up with someone, I feel it's my job to check up on her to make sure her intentions are legit...and maybe try her out for myself."

Marie shivered as he brought a clawed finger up to gently scrape her cheek. She shut her eyes and cursed his nails...her skin worked on skin to skin contact...not skin to nail.

"Victor...don't do this."

He eyed her hungrily and laughed, "You know in some cultures, brothers share everything."

He used his nails to rip her shorts from his body, causing her to jump and close her eyes. She took a breath and activated her powers just as he grabbed her neck. His eyes immediately bugged out as he squeezed her neck.

It was now a battle against time...could she render him unconscious before he rendered her unconscious? Marie could only pray.

She gripped onto the wrist that held her against the wall as she struggled against him. Surprisingly enough, his strength didn't wane as she absorbed him. Her mind was flooded with images so gruesome, she could hardly bear it.

Her lack of oxygen caused her to fall into a foggy unconscious state as her powers deactivated. She felt Victor's grip loosen on her just as her world fell into darkness. As she slumped to a heap on the floor, the cut on her hand healed.  


* * *

Victor took a few desperate gulps of air as he fell to the floor along with Marie. His head throbbed and his entire body shook as he attempted to recover and gain his bearings.

Holy shit...what was up with this chick? He'd never felt so close to death before in his long, miserable life, but with one touch, she'd nearly ended it all for him.

It actually made her even more appealing. She was dangerous. He liked that.

When he had recovered enough, he quickly poked at her skin to be sure she was safe to touch. When he realized all was well, he hoisted her limp, but still alive, body in his arms. He carried her to the bed and laid her down, watching her as he stripped himself out of his trench coat and shirt.

He _was_ planning on giving it to her nice and quick...but that was before she nearly killed him. Now, he was gonna take it nice and slow.

He smirked as he climbed up her body and laid uncharacteristically tender kisses over her neck and cheek, "Too bad you ain't awake...I'd love to hear some comparison notes."  


* * *

Logan was not a telepath, nor did he ever consider himself to be intuitive...except for when it came to Marie.

He could feel her moods and sense her emotions a mile away.

It was a surprise to him when, on his way back to the cabin, he felt the need to speed the whole way. When he parked the car, he noticed that the place was uncharacteristically dark.

He rushed into the cabin and quickly surveyed the main area. He followed the scent of her blood to the cutting board that still had vegetables that were halfway cut on it. A small drop of drying blood coated the knife that had been haphazardly abandoned on the counter beside the vegetables.

"Marie?"

A small feeling of dread crept up his spine as he sniffed the air. A familiar, yet foreign scent lingered. The smell got stronger as he approached the bedroom.

When he entered, he saw her laying on the bed, unconscious and naked with a blanket tossed across her body. He began panicking as he rushed over to her and pulled her body to his. He allowed himself to calm very slightly when he realized she was still breathing.

What happened to her? Who had done this? Why was she unconscious? The questions paused when he briefly took the time to notice the distinct absence of his dog tags from around her neck.

He shook her gently, "Marie...Marie! Wake up!"

It was just like when she had touched Stryker. Absorbing too much of someone else's life force might render her unconscious. The professor had warned her of that before he died and encouraged her to try to hone her skills so that she could better use her powers as a weapon, but he never had the opportunity to work on that with her.

He pulled back the blanket to check her for injuries, but she had none. There was, however, a stream of white liquid spread across the inside of her thigh. He shook his head and rocked her as his face turned red. He felt like he couldn't breath as he realized what happened to her in his absence, "No...no...no!"

As Logan held her close, he smelled her assailant's scent on her. It was so familiar...

He quickly wracked his brain for a connection until the realization dawned on him.

Victor...

He shook in anger as he gathered her body against his and let out heart wrenching cries of anguish into the night.  


* * *

Victor listened to his brother's cries of anger and sorrow from somewhere in the distance.

He didn't have to worry about Logan coming after him right now. Jimmy was, no doubt, tending to his precious Marie after the ride he gave her...if only she hadn't been unconscious during the whole thing.

Victor looked down at the tags he held in his hand and laughed evilly as he slipped them over his head.

In the back of his mind, he acknowledged that he may have just started a war that could possibly cost him his life.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed. Told you I had to mess up their perfect little world! **


	12. Time and Punishment

It took a couple of hours before she regained consciousness, which was a harrowing ordeal for both of them.

She woke up swinging and fighting, with her skin fully activated. Logan had cleaned the mess from between her legs and put her robe on her as she slept, so he grabbed her shoulders firmly and repeated her name, "Marie...Marie."

When she calmed, she involuntarily jerked away from his touch. She may have been unconscious during her entire ordeal, but she could feel something was off inside of her. She felt darker, sadder and completely violated.

She put her hand on her chest and breathed out, "Oh god...Logan. I had the most awful dream that I was attacked by Victor..."

Her voice trailed off as he looked down, angry tears welling in his eyes. For a brief second, he thought about not telling her. Pretend it never happened to her...but he couldn't do that. If she didn't know what happened to her, she'd never be able to recover. She'd only be haunted by a nightmare that was all too real.

She trembled and breathed out, "Logan?"

It took more courage than he thought he had to finally look back into her eyes, "It was real, Marie...he was here. He violated you."

She opened her mouth to say something, but only screams poured forth. He tried to hold her, "No! Don't! Don't touch me!"

She must have really meant it, because he found himself flying across the room and crashing into a wall. He cringed as the pain caused by his forceful meeting with the wall faded. She looked down at her hands with a fearful, startled expression etched across her face. She'd retained Victor's strength and since she was not marked or bleeding, he figured she had taken on his regenerative capabilities as well. For all accounts, her encounter with Victor should have left her battered, but she had made it through without a mark...a physical one, at least.

Marie shakily looked up at him, "I...I don't know what to do...he...he hurt me."

Logan approached cautiously, "Marie...I know, but I won't hurt you. I love you. I'll take care of you."

She allowed him to pull her into a protective embrace as she sobbed. She cried for hours and refused to let Logan leave her side for more than a minute at a time. He had to make her drink something and begged her to eat, but she refused.

When she finally fell asleep, Logan uncurled her from his arms and carefully laid a cover over her before stealthy slipping from the room.

He crept out and closed the door, walking out the front door and promptly dropping to his knees. He put his face in his hands and wept loudly and painfully as the snow lightly began to fall around him.

His tears soon turned to rage as he unsheathed his claws and pounded them into the gravelly ground until he was too tired to fight his imaginary foe anymore.

Victor was as good as dead.  


* * *

She was going to need help...more help than he knew how to give. He'd heard of rape victims being in need of therapy of some sort and he wanted to make sure she had all the help she needed, but the snow storm was bearing down on them and driving would be impossible.

She refused to be moved for the first two days. She'd jump when he initially touched her, but then she'd slowly relax.

Her former nightmares were child's play compared to the fresh, gruesome memories she had absorbed from Victor and what he had done to her. Even if Logan was close by, she still woke up screaming bloody Mary.

It broke his heart.

It came to the point where Logan stopped sleeping, he just sat in the chair, watching as she tossed and turned in bed...waking up every hour on the hour screaming and tearing at the sheets. He'd do his best to comfort her and put her back to sleep for another hour, until the screaming started again.

He couldn't help her alone.

He put in an emergency call on the X Men communicator from the truck.

Luckily, Storm answered, "Logan! Hey...what's going on?"

He ran a hand through his hair and looked through the door to the bed where Marie laid, staring blankly at the wall, "Storm...uh...we got a problem."

He lowered his voice and turned away from the sad sight as Storm spoke, "What is it? Is it Rogue?"

"Yea, Ro...she's...she's been attacked."

He heard Storm take a deep breath, "Oh god. What happened? Is she alright?"

"Physically...yea...but mentally..." Logan looked down and gritted his teeth, "She was raped, Ro. It was Victor...my half brother."

"Oh no...oh no. Logan, you have to get her back here."

He rubbed the back of his head, "Yea, that's why I called you. The storm's settled in pretty deep here...I need you to bring the plane up here. You can clear a path through the storm to get us out."

"Absolutely...Just give me the coordinates and I'll be there in a few hours."

Logan turned back to the bedroom where Marie had already sat up. She looked at Logan, "Will it ever feel right again?"

"Will what feel right again?"

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "Inside..."

He gingerly reached for her hand. He wasn't sure if she would let him take it, but she slowly allowed him to grasp her hand in his, "I wish I knew, kid. But I'm gonna make sure you get the help you need. Storm's on her way up. We're gonna go back to the mansion and I'm going to take care of you."

"The mansion? No! Everyone will know! They'll think it was my fault. They'll think I'm a whore!"

Logan looked into her eyes and slowly, but firmly grasped her shoulders, "Marie, look at me...look at me! You are not a whore. What happened to you was not your fault...you didn't deserve it. I know it doesn't feel like it, but you are strong enough to deal with this. You will make it through this. I will help you...everyone will."

Marie had shed so many tears in the past 48 hours, Logan was amazed she had managed to stay hydrated.

He kissed her head and held her as they watched the snow fall outside. She whispered, "Am I tainted now to you? Will you still want me?"

He pulled back and looked down into her eyes, "You shouldn't even have to ask me that, kid. You're not tainted...I still love you more than anything in my entire life."

She let out a sigh of relief and relaxed slightly against him as he pulled her head back to his chest. He stared out the window with a clenched jaw as he thought of what he would do to Victor when he found him. He wasn't going to leave her anytime soon...no way. But she deserved to be avenged.

It would come soon enough. Until then, Logan would concentrate on her and helping her recover.

As the snow suddenly came to a stop and the skies cleared, Logan realized that Storm had arrived. He looked down at Marie, "Time to go back, kid."  


* * *

Storm and Jubilee had done a great job in helping Logan with Marie. They found a great mutant therapist who specialized in rape and abuse counseling. She warned them that Marie would find it difficult to re-adapt to regular life after her attack.

Logan always took her to her appointments and waited in the waiting room for her. One afternoon, as Marie walked out of the back room, the counselor asked Logan back to her office as Marie scheduled her next appointment.

He followed her back to her office and stood in the doorway. She smiled, "Wouldn't you like to have a seat?"

He glanced back toward the waiting room, trying to keep an eye on Marie, "Nah, I think I'll stand."

The woman, who Marie called "Dr. Sarah", smiled warmly, "You're very protective of her, aren't you?"

He spared her a glance as he watched Marie through the doorway that led to the waiting room, "Don't need a PhD to figure that out...or do you?"

Surprisingly, Dr. Sarah dismissed the slight insult with a soft, warm laugh. She looked down, then back up at him, "Do you think of yourself as her hero? Her knight in shining armor?"

Logan gave her a sarcastic snort, "I'm no one's hero. Marie's just...special to me. It's my responsibility to protect her."

"I think she realizes that, Logan. She's starting to let go of the pain of her attack...but she feels like it's her fault that you feel you failed as her protector. You need to stop treating her like a damsel in distress so she can realize how strong she is on her own."

Logan glanced back at Marie, then took another step into the office, "I know she's strong...but I love her. I can't help but want to protect her."

Dr. Sarah smiled, "I can tell you love her and it's fine to protect her, but it's become an obsessive mission for you. She told me what happened at Alkali Lake and how you blamed yourself for what happened to her there...and her dreams. It was the reason it took you this long to finally admit you loved her." Logan nodded mutely, "She's afraid that you'll pull away from her now that she's been hurt again, Logan."

He actually took the therapist's words into account. He started to turn away and leave, but she stopped him, "Logan...one more thing. She may not be ready to be intimate again for a while...she's the only one who'll know when she's ready again, but after her ordeal, she's going to be afraid of you in that way. I know she hasn't kissed you since then, so just ease her back into intimacy, alright? Give her time and be patient."

Logan nodded, "Thanks doc."

He headed out to the waiting room, where Marie sat flipping through a magazine. She gave him a half smile, which was the closest she had come to smiling since she the cabin, "She didn't grill you did she?"

"Nah kid...not at all."

He held out his hand for her, which she slowly took before he led her from the office.  


* * *

**Reviews please!**


	13. Being Marie Again

The professor's return was dramatic and right on time. During the month since Marie's attack, there wasn't a day that passed when he wished Chuck could be there to help her mentally block some of Victor's memories and maybe teach her how to prevent some of the nightmares. His return lifted her spirits as well. Logan knew that contrary to prior belief, it was the professor who served as her father figure, not him.

After two months of intensive counseling, tireless efforts on the professor's part and unwavering support from Logan, Marie's dreams got better. Her every hour on the hour nightmares had slowed to once or twice a night. With the professor's help, she was beginning to force Victor's memories, and what he did to her, to the inner most recesses of her mind.

She met Logan in the hallway as he was walking back to "their" room.

He smiled and rubbed her arm as he kissed her forehead. He still didn't know if she felt comfortable with kissing yet, so he took it as slowly as possible, "Hey kid, how's it goin'?"

She nodded, "Good, today is a good day. Would you mind goin' somewhere with me?"

He nodded and smiled, "Sure kid, I'll go get my jacket. Meet you out front?"

She nodded and rushed off. An hour later, they pulled up to the beach. It was deserted because it was barely March and the temperatures were barely out of the 40s. He stepped out of the car and shivered a little, "What the hell are we doing on a beach in winter?"

She smiled...she_ smiled_! Logan's breath caught in his throat. It was the first real **Marie**-smile he'd seen since the cabin. It was heart stopping and completely beautiful. She had been speaking to him, but he was lost in the beauty that, up until now, had been hidden by scowls, tears and dark circles from her lack of sleep.

She looked like herself again...finally. She snapped him out of his reverie as she took a picnic basket and blanket out of the trunk, "Logan...did you hear me? Could you grab that box in there?"

He nodded and picked up the wrapped gift box from the trunk as he followed her onto the beach. She laid out the blanket and pulled out an impressive little spread of roast pork sandwiches, potato salad, cookies and beer...glorious beer. He watched her for a moment and chuckled slightly as he sat the box down, "What is all this?"

She smiled up at him, squinting against the sun, "It's a thank you lunch and you, my friend, are the guest of honor."

Logan raised his eyebrows, "Me? Why?"

Marie finished laying out the food and took a deep breath, "You've brought me back from the dead on more than one occasion...figuratively and literally. You have been there for me when I needed you most...you've been more patient, loving and kind than I ever though anyone could be...especially the Wolverine."

Logan smirked and stared at her, just happy to recognize the woman he loved again instead of a haunted shell of her.

She wiped at a soft tear that fell from her face. It wasn't like the tears she had been shedding for the past few months. This one was light, soft and sweet...golden and glistening in the afternoon sun, "I owe you everything. I definitely owe you more than a tawdry little lunch."

Marie moved to the box and picked it up, setting it in front of him as he knelt on the blanket, "Open it."

Logan smiled and opened the box. Inside, there was a picture of them together. It was obvious that neither of them knew that the picture was even being taken. Logan was sitting on a bench in the mansion courtyard while Marie had her arms around his neck and was leaning over his shoulder. By the looks of it, she was in mid-laugh as she looked into his eyes. He was staring back into her eyes, smirking with his lips, but wholeheartedly smiling with his eyes. There were others around them and the picture had been blown up and cropped.

He picked the framed picture up out of the box and stared at it as a small smile spread across his lips, "Hey...when was this taken?"

She scooted closer to admire the picture with him, "About a month before Alkali Lake. I don't know why I didn't see the love in your eyes then, but it's there. It even comes through in the picture."

He looked back at her, "Neither one of us were ready to recognize my feelings for you, kid."

She gently stroked his face as she looked into his eyes as a lone tear ran down his cheek. He closed his eyes involuntarily at the softness of the touch he had missed for so long. He touched her hand as it cupped his face. She slowly and carefully brought her lips down to his, kissing him softly and chastely.

It was their first kiss since "the incident".

His eyes opened so that he could gauge her reaction. She seemed surprised at the fact that she wasn't afraid of his touch and he was pleasantly surprised when she immediately dipped back in for another taste.

He didn't touch her...he didn't want to push her or frighten her.

She wiped the tear from his cheek, claiming it as her own. To date, she had been the only reason he had ever cried. His tears belonged to her.

She rested her forehead against his, "I love you, Logan."

He inhaled deeply, "I love you too, kid."

After they ate lunch, she sat in his arms as they watched the waves crash upon the shores.  


* * *

That evening, Logan laid in bed and turned on his side, closing his eyes as he heard Marie turn off the light in the bathroom. The room was silhouetted in darkness as he heard her walk toward the bed, "Logan?"

When he opened his eyes, he saw her standing over him wearing one of his flannel shirts. He gasped and sat straight up, almost leering at her beauty. She hadn't worn his clothes in forever. She'd worn high collars and pajama pants to bed every night.

She blushed, "Is this ok?"

He raised his eyebrows and laughed softly, "Absolutely...of course."

She stroked his face, "I want you to make love to me Logan."

"Are you sure you're ready?"

She nodded and whispered, "Just go slow...be as gentle as you can, ok?"

He nodded and scooted forward on the bed, his breath trembling in desire as he tentatively reached forward to touch her hips, "Just tell me what you want, Marie. I'll do anything you want."

She smiled and whispered, "Undress me."

He reached up and slowly began unbuttoning the shirt, revealing her fully naked chest beneath. He took in a deep breath as he pushed the shirt off of her shoulders. It fell to the floor as he stared in awe at her naked body.

"Marie...tell me..."

"Lay me down and kiss me."

He slowly scooped her up and laid her on the bed beside him before he lowered his lips down to hers, kissing her lovingly. She moaned and allowed her fingers to snake through his hair, giving him silent encouragement.

She whispered, "Take off your clothes, Logan."

He obeyed, quickly sitting up to yank off his pants and shirt. He stared into her eyes as he lowered himself between her welcoming legs. Logan leaned down and began kissing her neck, "Marie...I love you."

She stared back up at him and smiled knowingly, "I know baby."

"Tell me what you want me to do to you."

"Make love to me, Logan."

He kissed her neck and whispered sweet nothings into her ear as he reached down and lined his throbbing cock up with her entrance. Logan moved his lips to hers and felt her moan against his mouth as he pushed his length inside of her.

She looked into his eyes as he settled his entire length inside of her. She stroked his face and smiled, "Damn I missed you."

He smirked and kissed her as he began moving in and out of her, slowly at first, but they soon worked up to a faster, steady pace. She moaned and pushed him over as she straddled his waist.

Logan's eyes rolled into the back of his head as she rode him, "Oh god, Marie..."

He bit his lip and tried to concentrate on the sensations of his body to keep from cumming too fast. It had been too long since he had been inside of her...far too long.

"Touch me Logan..."

He did. Everywhere. His hands greedily ran over her body, groping and squeezing all the right spots as her movements grew erratic and frenzied. He sat up and wrapped his arms around her body, laying his head against her chest as they rode the waves of their orgasms.

Logan laid soft, worshipful kisses across her chest as they panted and floated down from their physical exertion. She looked into his eyes and smiled, "Feels good to be home."

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed! You ain't seen the last of Victor, so stay tuned! Review please!**


	14. Sweet Revenge

Marie made love to Logan twice again that night and woke him up with a blow job the next morning. She had missed his touch so long and was relieved to not have Victor haunting her thoughts every time Logan touched her.

He made love to her that morning in the shower, and they laid in bed naked for hours afterwards, talking, napping and making love. When they finally emerged from the room, they couldn't stop smiling and Marie was weak in the knees. She sat on the counter as he fixed her a sandwich, "So why couldn't I stay laying in bed naked? It only takes one of us to make a sandwich sugah."

Logan smirked as he slathered mayo on a piece of bread, "We needed to come up for air, kid."

Marie grabbed him by the collar and pulled him in between her open legs. She kissed him sensually, "Mmm...I think I got all the oxygen I need right here."

He gripped her thighs as his breathing quickened, "Is that so?"

She moaned and nodded as she kissed him hungrily, smirking at the fact that once the Wolverine got started, it was extremely hard for him to stop. Peter walked into the kitchen and cleared his throat. He knew what Logan and Marie had been doing. Not only because he could hear them while they were in their room, but because right now, she sat on the counter wearing Logan's flannel shirt, shorts and very messy bed hair.

Peter cautiously ventured into the kitchen as Logan stepped from between Marie's legs, "Oh...hey there Tin Man."

"Hey yourselves..."

Marie and Logan took their sandwiches back to the room and ate. She looked up at him and took a deep breath, "I know you're cookin' up a plan of revenge against Victor..."

Logan almost choked on his beer as he sat down the bottle. He coughed a little and wiped his mouth, "Don't concern yourself with it, kid."

She pursed her lips and ran a hand through her hair, "I want to go with you."

Logan stood quickly, "No way in hell."

She stood too, "He attacked me. I deserve to at least watch him get what's coming to him!"

"No Marie...I can't let you-"

She gently touched his arm, "Logan. Stop making it your mission to protect me from everything...I think my life has proven that's impossible. I need to face him."

He balled up his fists and leaned against the desk, "It's too dangerous Marie...please don't ask me to do this..."

She pulled him around to look at her, "Logan, please."

He took a deep breath and nodded as he stared down into her eyes. He hated that he couldn't say no to her.

* * *

The only reason he let her go was because the professor had finally helped her tweak her powers enough to turn them into a weapon. She could hold onto someone without allowing it to overwhelm her so much that she lost consciousness. She could successfully lock "stolen" memories and the consciousness of those she touched into a part of her mind that wouldn't allow them to come back and haunt her...as much.

A week later, they were on the last leg of their trip to the cabin. They were returning to the scene of the crime. Logan knew Victor was probably keeping an eye on them from afar and would take the opportunity to attack Marie again if they went back.

He glanced at her as they rode in the car, "How you feelin', kid?"

She took a deep breath and nodded, "Surprisingly, I'm ok."

He reached over and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

A few hours later, they were walking into the cabin. Marie paused at the entrance of the bedroom and shivered slightly, shutting her eyes tight. Logan walked up behind her, "Marie, we don't have to do this."

"No. No, I'm fine. I'll be just fine."

He rubbed her arms and began unpacking their things.

They stayed there for days, but Victor never showed himself. Marie assumed it was because Logan was constantly hovering.

She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders, "He's a coward. He wants me alone."

He immediately began shaking his head as he understood the underlying meaning of her words, "No way, Marie. No fucking way."

Marie stood up and started snatching her clothes into her bag, "Well then let's go back home. Come on...let's pack everything up and go and I can go back to the mansion and continue to believe that he's going to sneak through my window and rape me again. Seriously. Let's go."

Logan looked down and took a deep breath, "Marie, listen-"

She stuck her finger in his face, "No! You listen! If this was some regular pig on the street, I'd let the police throw him in jail, but this piece of shit who is practically immortal! No jail can hold him! How many women has he raped? How many innocent people has he maimed and killed? How many more will he hurt?"

He grabbed her shoulders, "Marie...don't you fuckin' understand that you're everything to me now? I've never let anyone into my world the way I've let you in. You're all I have. I can't let anything happen to you. Please...don't put yourself in danger...I wouldn't live if you got hurt again..."

Logan's grip on her weakened slowly as tears welled in his eyes. He slowly sunk down to his knees, tightly hugging her around her waist as he buried his face in her stomach, clutching her so tightly he almost hurt her.

She rubbed his shoulders, ran her hands through his hair, and closed her eyes as silent tears drifted down his face and damped her shirt. Marie pulled him away from her stomach and knelt down in front of him before kissing him lovingly.

He gripped her body to his in desperation as they eagerly yanked off each other's clothes. As soon as they were naked, they fell to the floor and began making passionate, feverish love. Logan laid between her open legs, pumping into her in long, powerful strokes.

She hooked her ankles together behind his ass as he fucked her, driving himself deeper inside of her. He was determined to show her how much she meant to him through their physical connection. He needed to demonstrate how much he needed and loved her.

She arched her back against him as she started cumming hard, crying out in pleasure. Logan shoved himself inside of her as deep as he could possibly go as he came, moaning her name repeatedly.

As his body slowly relaxed, he looked down at her and stroked her face before she leaned up and kissed him, "I love you, Logan."

* * *

Marie stood in the doorway, watching as he slept in the bed. She took a deep breath and walked out of the cabin. She had to do it. She wanted him dead...she had to face him.

She wandered into the woods a ways and closed her eyes as she heard Victor's voice behind her, "Well look at what we have here? You look even more delicious than the last time I saw you."

She turned around and glared at him, "I knew I'd run into you if I put a couple of miles between me and Logan. Really brave."

Victor bared his impressive canines and approached her. Marie activated her skin and surprised Victor by taking a step toward him to quickly close the space between them. Victor, who was angered by her lack of fear, suddenly charged forward and grabbed her neck with a gloved hand. Marie cursed aloud. The fucker came prepared this time.

He slammed her against a tree and lengthened his claws to poke through his gloves before cutting open her shirt and ripping her pants from her body. She struggled as he hungrily looked her over. He lifted her up a foot off the ground and slammed her back into the tree again for good measure. The fact that she wasn't cowering or begging him to stop.

"You know, I've never had a woman get under my skin quite like you have...I could have killed you when I was done with you."

She gritted her teeth and worked to yank his hand from around her neck or at least expose some of his bare skin, "Why didn't you?"

"Cause I wanted the chance to fuck you while you were awake. I wanted to see the look in your eyes...I need to feel your body respond to me. Who knows? Maybe I'll take you on as my own pet."

She spat in his face, "You're a piece of shit."

He smirked and unzipped his pants and pulled a condom out of his pocket. Damn. He was** really** prepared. Marie's struggling picked up as he tore the condom wrapper open with his teeth. He spat out the foil and stared at her, "I'm not a big fan of condoms...but I'm sure I'll enjoy it either way."

His movements suddenly stopped as both of them heard an animal like cry from behind him before Victor jerked violently against her. Logan had jumped from the woods and stabbed Victor in the back with his claws.

His grip immediately loosened on her neck and he fell toward her a little. She was shocked at first, but soon regained her bearings and took the opportunity to grab Victor's face with both of her hands. She stared into his eyes as she sucked the life out of him, "I wanted to see the look in your eyes too."

Victor struggled and clawed at her as he dropped to his knees, becoming weaker and weaker the longer she held on. Logan growled and breathed out, fighting to keep the Wolverine at bay so that he could properly make sense of the situation. He looked at Marie, who was barely a few seconds away from killing Victor. He rushed over to her, yanking her away. Logan didn't want her to live with the guilt of knowing she took a life.

He, on the other hand, would sleep just fine knowing Victor perished by his claws.

After Logan yanked Marie away, he raised his claws. Victor looked up at his brother, gasping for breath as he trembled weakly, "She was a good piece of ass...but is she really worth your brother's life Jimmy?"

Logan stared at him intently, "More than you'll have the chance to know, asshole."

With one, powerful swipe, Logan cut Victor's head off. His body twitched for a few seconds before falling into a heavy heap as his head rolled away.

Marie slumped down against the tree with her eyes closed as if she was concentrating. Logan sheathed his claws and took a step toward her as she held a hand up without opening her eyes, "Gimme a minute."

He could tell that she was working to stow Victor's memories and consciousness into the recesses of her brain. They sat in silence in the woods for a few moments before she shook her head vigorously and took a deep breath, "I think I'm ok."

Logan pulled her into his arms and picked her up, carrying her all the way back to the cabin. He laid her down and watched her fall into a sleep that would no longer be haunted by the threat of another attack at Victor's hands

* * *

**Reviews please! **


	15. Trouble in Paradise

When Marie woke up, she heard clanking and sizzling in the kitchen. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Logan was cooking. Now that would be interesting. She showered and dressed, smiling slightly as she heard a small crash in the kitchen and him curse aloud.

When he brought her food in, she was curled up in the arm chair beside the bed, staring out the large picture windows at the mountains. She glanced at him and offered him a soft smile, "Morning..."

He smiled and handed her a plate, "Hope you're hungry."

She ate and was surprised at how good the eggs were. When he noticed her expression, he laughed, "I'm not completely useless in the kitchen, kid!"

Marie felt slightly shaken, but freed by Victor's death. Logan simply thought justice had been served. He stared at her as she ate and thought about what would become of their life together now that Victor was dead, his memories were returning and he had seemingly gotten over his obsessive need to protect her from danger.

She was so young and he was so road weary and aged. He didn't know about the whole traditional "settling down" thing. He didn't think about marriage or kids...but she was a beautiful woman with a lot of love to offer. She didn't deserve to be held back because he wasn't willing to give her the life she wanted.

Logan found himself watching her sadly. He didn't want to let her go, but he would if it meant she could be happier with someone else in the long run.  


* * *

That evening, Marie sat on the couch with her knees gathered to her chest, watching the flames dance in the hearth of the fireplace. Logan, who had been chopping wood earlier, had just taken a shower and sat down next to her on the couch. He reached over and ran his fingers through her hair, "You feelin' ok, kid?"

She nodded and turned toward him, "Yea...I'm better, I think."

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her temple, wrapping her in a protective embrace. Logan pressed something into her palm and whispered in her ear, "If you want these back...they're yours."

Marie opened her hand and looked down. They were his tags. He must have taken them back from Victor. She put them back over her head and leaned into him, "I'll always want these, just like I'll always want you."

_Until you find out I can't give you what you want,_ he thought.

Logan stroked her hair and took a deep breath, hugging her as he sadly looked over her shoulder.  


* * *

Logan thought about laying out his bottom line to spare her anymore heartache. He knew he was no good for her before the first time they ever made love in that damn hotel room years ago. God dammit...why didn't she listen to him?

Every day, he thought of telling her, but every time he looked into her eyes, he couldn't help but feel the need to prolong his time with her like that...happy...in love...content.

They stayed at the cabin until summer, spending many happy months there in blissful isolation. During one evening, Marie got curious about the Native American artwork and books around the house.

She'd done some poking around the town bookstore and ended up finding the story about Kuekuatsu and the moon.

That evening, she told Logan the story of the Wolverine. He got quiet and looked down, feeling a strong sense of deja vu. She cocked her head to the side and laid her feet in his lap, "Something wrong hon?"

He shook his head and forced a smile as he took her small foot in his hand and began to massage, "No. It's just...I think I may have heard that story before."

"Aw...well look at me. I thought I knew somethin' special!"

Logan laughed uneasily and nodded as he looked away, searching his foggy memory bank. Where had he heard that story before?

Up until that evening, Logan had kept his distance from the photo albums and women's clothing that lay stowed away in the old dresser in the bedroom. But curiosity was a cold blooded killer and it eventually got the best of him.

One evening, as Marie slept, he gathered the items and laid them out on the kitchen table. For hours, he looked through the pictures, which triggered memories he had long since forgotten.

Kayla was beautiful, kind and they shared many heartwarming memories in that very cabin...from what he could remember and what the pictures showed. He felt happy that he was reconnecting with some of his happier memories from his past...instead of the horrible, nightmare inducing memories.  


* * *

The next evening, as they made love, Logan laid on top of her, pumping into her with deep, powerful thrusts. He was utterly lost in the sensation of being inside of her when he lovingly whispered, "Kayla..."

Marie looked up at him and furrowed her eyebrows, pushing him off of her. She covered herself with the sheet and sat up, "What did you just call me?"

Logan stuttered for a moment as he realized his grave mistake, "Oh shit...Marie, I'm so sorry."

She ran a hand through her hair and looked down, "You called me Kayla..."

Marie bit her lip and took a deep breath, unable to really think of a good way to respond to the situation. At first she just wanted to be understanding and let the whole thing blow over. After all, they were staying in a home that he had shared with Kayla for many years, he was just now rediscovering his memories. Of course his brain was going to get things mixed up.

Then she got angry.

How many dead women was she going to have to compete with for him?

She knew Jean was still haunting the recesses of his mind...now Kayla was back.

He had already attempted to reassure her that Kayla was his past, but a girl's ego could only take so much and being called another woman's name while in bed was a definite blow to her confidence.

Marie snatched the sheet off the bed, wrapping it around her as she walked to the bathroom, slamming the door and leaving him in the room with a hard on.

Logan ran a hand through his hair and cursed aloud. He would be lucky if he escaped the cabin with his life after the mistake he just made.  


* * *

**I love some decent Rogan angst, don't you? You know I had to throw some in there. Now that Stryker and Victor have been removed from the picture, it's only proper that I throw a wrench in their relationship! Who knows? Maybe Gambit will appear. If he does, please disregard seeing him in "Origins". I was so annoyed with that...**


	16. Not' In Repair

**There's comic book tie-ins in this chapter and maybe spoilers for _Origins 2._**

* * *

They left for the mansion the day after the name incident, barely saying a word to each other during the ride back. When they stopped in a motel in North Dakota, Logan sat on the edge of the bed, nursing a beer as she walked out of the bathroom in her pajamas.

Logan scratched his head and rolled his eyes. He was getting sick of her silent treatment, so he decided to just give in and apologize. He put the beer down and turned to her, "Kid...I'm sorry."

Marie held up her hand and shook her head as she climbed into the bed, "You really don't have to explain. It's fine...I know being there brought things up in your memory and you got...confused."

He was shocked she was downplaying it...actually, he seemed damn near disappointed. He could have at least used that situation as a reason to distance himself from her...but not Marie. She was understanding and loving. That made it even harder for him to do the right thing.

What was the right thing anyways?

She was virtually his saving grace...how could he let go of the only good thing he had going for him?

He chided himself internally. It wasn't about him...it was about doing what was best for her future.

Her voice broke him out of his thoughts, "Oh no."

"What?"

She sat down in his lap and put her arms around his neck, "You've got that 'I'm no good for this kid' look on your face."

He scrunched up his eyebrows, "What? How did you know that?"

She laughed and kissed his cheek, "I know you, Logan. You made the face every single day for months before the first time we had sex...and then again every day for months after that. You still do it constantly."

He rubbed her back and looked down, "I don't want to hurt you-"

"Then don't", she said, cutting him off.

He looked into her eyes and gently rubbed her cheek, "It's not that simple, kid. There's some things that I don't think I can give you."

She looked down, "Marriage, kids...the middle class home and an over sized SUV?"

He nodded and took a deep breath, "That's never gonna be me, kid."

"What if I told you I didn't want any of those things?"

"Then I'd call you a liar."

She laughed bitterly, "Right. I do want a family...but you don't love me enough to give me that."

She stood walked to the sink in the bathroom, leaving him to look stunned.

Shit...she was making it sound like he was a selfish jackass. He refused to give the only woman he loved the one thing he knew she wanted...but it was more complicated than that.

"I love you more than anything in the world, kid. After all we've been through, you've gotta know that."

"Logan, I don't want you to do anything you don't want to. I don't want to trap you into a life that you don't want."

Logan looked down, searching for a decent excuse that would keep him from having to delve into the shitty part of his past that he could remember, "I can't outlive my fuckin' kids, Marie. I can't watch my own kids die, ok?"

Marie looked down, "What if your child had your mutation?"

"There's no way to know for sure."

Marie walked over to him and looked down at him with worried eyes. The look made him panic. Was she pregnant already?

He sniffed the air, searching for a change in her scent that could signal a pregnancy. She looked at him confusedly, "Are you trying to smell me?"

He stopped sniffing and cleared his throat, "Uh..."

"Well stop. I'm not pregnant. I wouldn't be that stupid, Logan. You know I'm on birth control." He breathed a sigh of relief, which slightly offended Marie, "I'd hate to see the look on your face if you smelled the wrong thing."

He walked over and grabbed her waist, "I'm sorry...it's just...I'm not...I can't imagine..." He finally gave up trying to talk and just kissed her head.

"What are you so afraid of?"

Damn...she wasn't gonna let this go! Logan's brain began running a mile a minute...he needed to divert her. Anger! Right...that's always worked in the past. Confuse her by getting angry. He huffed and grabbed the keys as he started to leave the room, "Why can't you just let it go! I don't wanna fuckin' have that life! Just leave it alone, kid."

She rushed after him and grabbed his arm, "No, Logan...stop! Talk to me...please?"

He turned back around and found himself lost in her eyes. He took a deep breath and tried to look away, but her eyes had some sort of magnetic pull attached to them. She was forcing him to bring up the unpleasant parts of his past that he did remember...the parts of his past that he wished he could forget, but hadn't. He made one last ditch effort to leave, but she snatched him back.

"Logan!"

He growled and yanked out of her grasp, yelling in her face, "I tried it already!"

She jumped back a good foot and looked at him confusedly, "What?"

"I tried to have a wife...a family...but it all came crashing down."

"What are you talking about Logan? I thought you couldn't remember-"

"This was after that. It was a long time ago...13 years ago...in Japan."

Marie sat down on the bed as Logan turned away from her. He didn't know if he had it in him to tell her what he had been through, but she needed to know the real reason why he couldn't give her the happiness she so desperately wanted.

"When I was in Japan, I ended up in a village called Jasmine Falls. It was beautiful and so was she. She was graceful, gorgeous and had a really kind heart."

Marie took his hand, "It's ok...tell me."

He took a deep breath and continued, "Her name was Itsu. For a little while, I forgot about my unknown past and lived in the moment, with her. We fell in love, got married...and then we found out we were having a baby." Logan paused and looked down as he sat next to Marie, "I was so happy. I used to spend hours just rubbing her belly and talking to that baby. We were so sure it was a boy." Another long pause filled the air before he continued, "I never knew I could love someone I've never met until I found out she was having my kid."

Marie's eyes grew wet as she reached over and rubbed his back, encouraging him to continue his story and show any emotion he had to, "What happened?"

Logan put his face in his hands for a moment then looked straight ahead, his voice trembling slightly, "Then...then someone ended it all. They shot her once in the heart..." Logan looked down and clenched his fists, "...and twice in the stomach...just to be sure the baby didn't survive."

Marie put a hand over her heart and gasped before she pulled Logan into a hug, rubbing the back of his head. He pulled back and stood, looking out the window so that she didn't see the tears he threatened to shed, "After the anger, grief and despair, I didn't feel for a long time...I didn't care...I didn't love...I didn't give a damn..." he turned around and looked at her, "...until you."

Marie pursed her lips together and stood, walking to him and pulling him back into an embrace. She was going to hug him and love him, whether he wanted it or not right now. She rested her forehead against his, "God Logan...I'm so sorry."

He put his hands around her waist, accepting the comforting hug, "It wasn't Victor, he wouldn't have used a gun...I still don't know who killed her. The only reason why she died was because she was married to me and having my baby..."

Marie squeezed him tighter and shut her eyes. Now it all made sense...his protectiveness of her...why he took her kidnapping at Alkali Lake and her rape so terribly...why he was afraid to have a family.

Logan had spent so much time attempting to make sure she was in repair, that he left himself completely broken.

* * *

**Reviews please! Someone asked about a Rogan baby...my answer: MAYBE! Keep reading to find out! :-) Thanks for the feedback!**


	17. Everbody's Fine

Marie sat watching Logan sleep that night. It was something she knew he had done countless times.

He had done it because he loved her, wanted to help her and wanted to watch over her.

Now she was doing the same thing for all the same reasons.

Marie felt like she understood him now. She understood why he had been so hesitant to show his feelings for her. She understood why he didn't want a family.

She jumped as he spoke with his eyes still closed, "Are you going to sleep or are you just gonna stare at me all night?"

"I thought you were asleep."

"It's hard to get a good night's sleep with someone staring at you."

"Look who's talking?"

Logan slowly opened his eyes and smirked. He rolled onto his back and took a deep breath as his expression slowly dropped into a frown, "I shouldn't have told you about it."

Marie laid down on her side next to him, her fingers lightly tracing invisible designs across his chiseled chest, "Yes, you should have. I understand now."

"Yea, you understand, but does that make it better? Did I magically eliminate your desire to have a baby?"

She rested her chin on the back of her hand as it laid on his chest, "No, but I understand why you don't want to have everything, because you're afraid you'll lose it all again." Marie lifted her head up to stare into his eyes as she pulled his chin to look at him, "But you let me in, Logan. I know you were scared to, but you did."

He gently pushed her away and sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, "And look what happened when I did? Alkali Lake...Victor...never would have happened if you hadn't been tied to me, just like Itsu never would have died if she wasn't married to me or having my kid."

Marie crawled up behind him and rubbed his bare back, "We all choose our own destinies, Logan. I have been through some of the worst times of my life during these past few years, but you know what? I wouldn't trade it for the world, because you've given me some of the best times of my life too. It's made me stronger. I could have cut and run if I wanted, but I choose to be with you. If I died tomorrow because 'I'm tied to you', I wouldn't have any regrets. I know Itsu felt the same way."

He turned his head to look at her, "You can honestly say I've given you more happiness than tears?"

Marie scooted closer and cupped his cheek in her hand, "Absolutely. You wanna talk about tears? Try leavin' me."

He grunted and gave her a slight smile as she kissed his shoulder, "You need to get your head checked, kid. I ain't worth all the pain."

"I'm a big girl, Logan. You let me decide what you're worth."

She took his face in her hands and kissed him thoroughly as she swung her leg around to straddle him. He opened the flannel shirt she wore and pushed it from her shoulders as she gently shrugged out of the sleeves. She put her arms around his neck and pressed her chest against his, eliciting a low groan from his lips.

She lifted up a little, reaching down to pull his hardening erection from his underwear as she settled back down on top of him, pushing him inside of her. They stared into each other's eyes as she slowly and sensually rolled her hips onto him.

For a while, the only sound that filled their room were short moans, grunts and gasps. No words needed to be spoken as they made love...they just needed to feel. After a few minutes, Marie's pace quickened considerably as she grew closer to her orgasm.

Logan gripped her hips and held on for the ride as he bit his lip, resting his forehead against hers. She gasped repeatedly and gripped onto his shoulders, "Logan...Logan...I need you...I need you."

He moaned and tried to speak, but the words didn't come. Logan threw his head back and roared as they came together, causing the world around them to fall away. In that perfect moment, nothing else mattered but each other.  


* * *

When they returned to the mansion, they began settling into life there. After talking to the professor, Marie decided that she wanted to go back to college. She'd stopped taking classes at the community college after the Victor incident.

Her grades and test scores were impeccable, so with a bit of string pulling by the professor, she was accepted into NYU the following semester and began working toward a Bachelor's degree. The professor owned an apartment in Manhattan, which he allowed Marie to live in under the condition that she would return to tutor the younger children at the institute a few times a month. To earn extra money for food and other expenses, she worked as a receptionist in a spa part time.

Logan had offered to "take care" of her, but she adamantly refused, which bothered him and made his chest swell with pride at the same time. She wanted to be independent.

Although Logan made sure to help Chuck and the geeks out with important missions, he still made his trips up to Canada every now and then to do some cage fighting, lumberjack work or other odd jobs. He felt the need to save up money since Marie was in his life. If she wanted something, he thought she should have it...not that she ever asked for anything more than to be taken out for a burger.

She did allow him to buy her a cell phone. He purchased one for himself as well. He wanted to be sure she could contact him whenever she needed to if he was on the road.

Logan made it a point not to stay away for more than a few weeks at a time...not like before when he would take months long, or even year long hiatuses from the mansion. He couldn't survive that long without her.

He loved what she was doing with her life, but at times he got slightly jealous. Marie was a girl who easily made friends with guys...so she did. She formed study groups and made friends who she frequently went out with...some of them were guys.

During one of his trips to visit her, a guy answered her apartment door. His heart sank, but after looking into the doorway, he saw a group of college kids sitting in a circle in the living room with open books on their laps.

Marie appeared behind the unnamed guy who answered the door with widened, bright eyes. She smiled excitedly, "Logan!"

Marie ran and jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around him as she kissed him, clinging onto him like a baby orangutan. He laughed and kissed her back, clearly satisfied with her show of affection toward him. It obviously meant she didn't have anything to do with any of the dicks that were presently in her apartment. When he sat her down, she pulled him into the apartment, "Everyone, I want you to meet Logan...Logan, this is Trey, Casey, Erica, Thomas, Jeneen, Brian and Vince. We're studying for a Art History test."

All of the girls in the room raised their eyebrows and flashed him flirtatious smiles. Jeneen spoke up, "Wow...so this is Logan! We've heard a lot about you." She then leaned over to Erica and whispered, "That is a whole lotta sexy man..."

Logan fought the urge to smile satisfactorily when his sensitized hearing picked up on the girl's comment. He was more excited at the fact that Marie had been talking about him than the fact that some other chick thought he was hot.

He leaned over to Marie, who clutched his hand in hers, "Not tryin' to break up your study party, I can go hang out at the bar on the corner til you guys are done."

Marie shook her head and leaned in, whispering, "Don't you dare move...I'm so horny I'll fuck you in front of them if I have to."

He had to fight off a hard on as he smirked, whispering back, "Damn...that'd be interesting...but I was hoping to go down on you tonight before we got to the fucking." He gripped her ass, causing her to nearly yelp.

Marie jumped and clapped her hands, "Everyone out! I think we've done enough studying tonight. Don't wanna over do it."

Logan let out a little laugh as he nodded politely to her retreating guests. He made his way to the bedroom and stripped naked. As he heard the door close, Marie rushed into the bedroom. It was clear she had been undressing on her way there. Her shoes were off, her jeans were unbuttoned and her top had been yanked over her head, leaving her hair looking like a sexy mess.

She pounced on him and began attacking his mouth with hers. It had been nearly a month since they had sex last and she was hornier than she had ever been. He tossed her onto the bed and walked over casually, roughly yanking her jeans off of her, nearly pulling her body to the edge of the bed with them before they finally gave way.

He took her knees and pulled them apart before climbing onto the bed to bury his face between her legs. She just laid back and enjoyed the amazing sensation of his tongue gently and fervently stroking her soft folds and her clit.

When he felt her start to shudder and arch her back, he stopped, causing her to whimper at the sudden absence of his tongue. He crawled up her body and thrust himself inside of her, making her cum instantly. He smiled down at her, "Damn I missed you."  


* * *

Despite her job and frequent trips back to Westchester, she graduated in 3 years. Logan was obviously there for it, as was Storm, the professor and half of the kids from the mansion.

She graduated with a B.A. in Social Sciences with a concentration in Politics and a minor in History. Logan had only ever cheered on hockey and football games before that day...but when he saw her walk across her stage and accept the degree that she had worked so hard for, he yelled and clapped louder than anyone else in the entire stadium.

A few days later, Logan helped Marie pack up her belongings and vacate Charles' Manhattan apartment. She was moving back into the mansion to work as a full time teacher at the institute and become an X Man.  


* * *

Marie didn't bother Logan with another "I want a family" talk. She, instead, chose to focus on her present. Being in school and working had helped keep her mind off of the only thing Logan didn't want to give her...now she was returning to the mansion and she was about to have a little too much time on her hands to think.

She was OK for a few months...until Bobby and Kitty got married and announced they were expecting a baby.

Marie tried not to let it bother her, but Logan was more intuitive than she gave him credit for. They ended up arguing over it.

She threw her hands in the air, "Dammit Logan! I told you I'm fine! Could you just please let it go?"

"No you're not! I saw the look on your face. This is eating you up inside."

She looked at him and put her hands on her hips, "So what if it is? I can go flush my birth control and we can start working on Little Logan number one?"

Logan crossed his arms across his chest, "Don't be like that."

"I wouldn't be if you weren't pushing the subject. I said I'm fine and I am FINE! Leave me alone about it!" She stormed out of the room and slammed the door. He looked down and shook his head, feeling deflated.

Marie stormed out to the gardens and stalked from one end to the next until she felt calm enough to sit down. She was trying to be happy with she and Logan's unconventional relationship as best she could...she wanted to accommodate his needs, but when he pushed her to admit she wasn't as happy as she could be, it drove her crazy. Mainly because he was trying to force her to admit an unpleasant truth.

Marie figured that if she kept telling herself she didn't want a family, she would eventually believe it and all would be well.

* * *

**Review y'all!**


	18. Bonjour, Japan

**Like I said before, please disregard seeing Gambit in _Origins._**

* * *

Logan sat, wracking his brain for a solution to his problem...just as he had done every day. He didn't want her to just be with him, he wanted her to be happy.

He wasn't sure he could live with himself if she ended up regretting her decision to live a childless life with him. After a while, Logan began to realize that it wasn't that he didn't want to have kids, he was just afraid he wouldn't be able to protect them the same way he was unable to protect Kayla, Marie, Itsu and their baby. He didn't want to have to survive another heart ache like that again. After all, the man who killed Itsu was probably still out there and could possibly resurface at an inopportune time.

He wondered if investigating Itsu's death would help put his mind at ease...but then he grew concerned. What if it opened up a whole new can of worms he wasn't ready to stomach?

Logan took a swig of beer and ran a hand through his hair. He'd do it. He'd do it so that he could be sure that the dangers of his past wouldn't come back to tear apart his future. He'd do it so that he could actually entertain the thought of having a family with her.

Now he just had to tell her he had to go to Japan. Alone.

* * *

"Japan."

Marie had been repeating it over and over again since Logan told her about his plans. He stood across the room, studying her face for her reaction, but she gave none. Her face was blank.

"I'm going because I need some answers. Maybe if I can find out who killed Itsu, I can stop feeling like someone's going to jump out of my past to hurt you...maybe we can..."

His voice trailed off as she looked up at him with hopeful eyes. He could almost hear her biological clock ticking as she spoke, "Maybe we can have a baby?"

He took a breath and looked down, "Not makin' any promises, kid...don't get ahead of yourself." He shifted his weight slightly, "Why do you wanna have a baby so badly anyways...besides the fact that they can grow up and take care of you when you're old and too weak to wipe your own ass."

She stared at him and shook her head. This is what drove her crazy about the whole situation. He didn't get it. She didn't just want to have kids, she wanted it to be with him or not at all. He seemed to just think that she had some sort of animalistic urge to mate. She let out an exasperated groan, then blurted out, "Oh my god! You are so dense! It's not that I just want to have **_a_** baby. I want **_your_** baby, Logan."

The room fell silent as Logan stared at her. No wonder she got so pissed about him suggesting she would have a better life with someone else. She didn't want anyone else...even if they were willing to knock her up a hundred times...she wanted him. But how could she be so sure? He'd been her hero for years and the only real relationship she ever had...unless you count her brief teeny bopper relationship with Bobby.

He crossed the room and looked down into her eyes, "Why me?"

She shyly looked up into his eyes, almost looking as if she were embarrassed by her revelation, "Lots of reasons...too many."

"Humor me."

She glared at him a little and let out a breath. She tried to turn around, but he held her in his gaze as she spoke slowly, "Because I love you so much that simple words and gestures don't seem to work anymore and I think that carrying your child will be the most beautiful thing I could ever do to show you how much I love you and need you in my life. Because I want to experience all of the special moments, trials and tribulations that come along with being a parent with you...no one but you."

He took her in his arms and kissed her. In truth, it was the most beautiful thing anyone had ever said to him. The Wolverine in him wanted to toss her onto the bed and knock her up right then and there, but the other side of him...the fearful part who, above all, worried for her safety and her future, kept him from doing it. He rubbed her shoulders and looked down at the floor between their feet, "Marie...even if I find what I need, it's not a guarantee. Maybe it's best that you take this time for yourself, kid..."

She looked as if she'd just been stabbed through the heart, "What are you sayin'?"

Logan couldn't look in her eyes as he spoke. He hated what he was saying, but it had to be said. She needed to be sure he was what she wanted. He needed her to be sure that she wouldn't resent him for whatever life they'd end up with, "I'm sayin' that we should cool it while I'm gone...we should just take a break."

Her breath hitched in her throat as she turned away quickly. He could smell her tears as they threatened to spill onto her cheeks. Without another word, she left the room, leaving him to punch a hole in the wall out of frustration with himself.

That night, he figured Marie would sleep in her own bed. He laid awake, staring at the ceiling until 3 in the morning, when Marie crept into his room. She undressed herself and slipped into bed with him. He started to stay something, but she stopped him, putting a gentle hand over his lips.

He moved her fingers from his mouth and engulfed her lips in a passionate kiss. He rolled her onto her stomach and forced her legs apart as he fingered her from behind for a few moments before slipping himself inside of her. They made love with him pumping into her from behind as they laid on the bed, moaning and gasping in shared ecstasy. Logan whispered as he pumped in and out in slow, deep strokes, "I fucking love you...so goddamn much..."  


* * *

Logan was saying his goodbyes to everyone in the mansion.

Storm made him take a communicator with him just in case he ran into any trouble and the professor told him he'd help him locate any suspects using Cerebro if he needed him to.

Marie was noticeably absent during all of the goodbyes. He searched the mansion for her, but she seemed to be missing. She was the one person he actually wanted to see before he left.

His heart sank when he realized he couldn't spend anymore time waiting for her to make an appearance, so he walked out to the garage with his head hung. When he reached it, he perked up, finding her there, leaning against his bike. She wore tight jeans, cowboy boots, a tank top and a leather riding jacket...the jacket he had bought for her.

He tried to hide his happiness at seeing her as he spoke, "For a second, I thought you were gonna let me leave without sayin' goodbye."

"Do couples who are on breaks really need to say goodbye to each other?"

Ouch. Her voice dripped with venom and her eyes were fixed in an icy glare that would have rendered even Bobby cold.

Logan took a step forward, "Everything I do Marie, I do it because I think it's what's best for you, OK? You think I want to spend a second of my life without you? No...but I will if you find out you can be happy somewhere else."

Marie's bottom lip trembled as she put her hands in her back pockets and looked away, attempting to steady herself by taking a few breaths. He put his hands on her waist and pulled her body against his as he rested his forehead against her temple, "Take care, kid."

She turned her head and kissed him softly before he quickly, yet reluctantly pulled away, walking out of the garage.

* * *

Marie tried to keep herself busy. She spent plenty of time with friends and took trips into the city to visit her old NYU buddies, but nothing seemed to fully take her mind off of Logan.

Logan, in the meantime, was finding it difficult to perform a murder investigation a decade and a half later on foreign soil. He spent his time attempting to track down witnesses and trying his best not to threaten people to get the answers he needed. He missed Marie, but it didn't take long for him to slip up and fall back into his familiar pattern of behavior. The fact that he constantly had to think about one of the most heart breaking periods in his existence began to take its toll on him and he just needed comfort...he needed an escape.

He went to a bar and ended up flirting with some sexy little cocktail waitress, dressed in a futuristic Geisha get up. Two hours after he met her, he was fucking her in the alley behind the bar. As he pulled out and came on her thigh, he felt a nauseating pang of guilt tug at his stomach. He tucked himself back in his jeans and walked away without looking back, cursing aloud as Marie's face flashed before his mind's eye.

* * *

Marie was walking back to her room after her last class of the day. She wanted to get a work out in, so she needed to change her clothes and get down to the gym before Piotr, Bobby and Warren took over the place.

She rounded the corner and bumped into a tall, sturdy frame. She almost stumbled back, but the man captured her around her waist and pulled her back upright, saving her from the fall. She caught her breath and looked up at the man who so intimately clutched her body to his.

He slowly let go of her and smiled before offering her an exaggerated bow, "Bonjour mon petit fleur. So sorry for our little run in. The name's Remy. Remy LeBeau, but you can call me Gambit, and you are?"

She stared at him for a second, allowing his thick bayou bred accent to swirl around her. It was good to finally hear another southerner. She had begun feeling a little alone around all of the Yankees. He was handsome, blatantly charming and had a mischievous twinkle in his eye. She could tell he was probably used to women falling all over themselves for him. Marie refused to give him that satisfaction, so she quickly took a step back and stuck out her hand for a shake, "My name is Marie, but you can call me Rogue."

Much to her hidden delight, he gently took her hand and laid a gentle kiss on her knuckles, "Lovely to make your acquaintance mon petit fleur."

They stared at each other for a few moments before Storm approached, "Ah, Rogue, I see you've met the newest member of the team. Good to see you again, Gambit."

He managed to turn to Storm, but keep his eyes trained on Rogue, "Ah mon ami, it's wonderful to see you again as well. I was jus' lookin' for my room."

Being raised in the Missisippi bayou, she was used to listening to people go back and forth between French and English while they conversed, so listening to Remy was like having a little bit of home at the mansion. She figured he was probably from Louisiana because of his distinct, cajun flair.

As she watched him walk away with Storm, she caught herself smiling.

The cajun was going to be a complication...she just didn't know it yet.

* * *

**Bad Logan! Bad! **


	19. Where's Wolvie?

As Logan's search continued, so did his downfall. The time away from Marie and constantly thinking about Itsu was wearing down on him and taking a toll on his mental state. The longer he stayed in Japan, the less he recognized himself as the person Marie knew and loved.

Many times, he found his hand going to his chest, looking for the tags that she presently wore around her neck. He would close his eyes and try to relive all of their moments together, but when he reopened them, took in his foreign surroundings and remembered his grim task, he'd fall back into his ever scowling, depressed state.

Without Marie, he just wasn't as good. He had no reason to be anything but a drinking, fighting, scowling, insensitive sex fiend when she wasn't around.  


* * *

Marie halfway expected Logan to use the communicator to call her, just to hear her voice, but he didn't. She slept with a communicator right beside her bed just in case he decided to.

As the weeks ticked by, she gave up on trying to distract herself. She grew more and more distant from everyone else. She'd make small talk with the cajun between classes, but she'd just retreat back to her room.

Rogue had gotten ready for bed early that night, tossing on a tank top and some tiny little shorts before climbing into bed and wishing for sleep. Her eyes flung open at the sound of a knock on her door. It was probably Jubilee or Storm coming to tell her that Kitty was in labor. The girl was almost a week past her due date.

She opened the door without putting on a robe and gasped upon seeing Remy casually leaning against the outer part of her door frame, "Bon soir mon petit fleur. Retirin' early this evenin'?"

Marie crossed her arms across her bra-less chest, "Gambit! What are you doin' here?"

"I'm here to take a southern belle out for a night on the Yankee town. I'm tired of seein' you mopin' round here gal."

Marie took a breath, "Look, Gambit...I appreciate it, but I'm really not in the mood."

He eyed her carefully and lowered his voice, "Now Marie...I ain't been here very long, but the time I have, I've watched you mope 'round here like someone killed your puppy. You've gotta get outta that funk, girl."

Her breath hitched in her throat. No one had called her Marie since Logan left. She lowered her voice and looked down, "It's a little complicated, Remy."

He let his finger graze the underside of her chin, "Only if you make it that way petit fleur. Now come on...get dressed."

Marie hesitated, but two hours later, she sat across from Remy in a booth in a southern style/country western bar. She was on her fourth Long Island iced tea and halfway through the story of Logan and Rogue as Remy fiddled with a deck of cards.

Gambit was sweet and understanding, listening with interest and offering comforting words. She was surprised at how open she was with him, but he was so easy to talk to. He was like a really really ridiculously good looking friend who you might want to have sex with on occasion.

"Wow...never woulda thought a pretty young thang like you woulda gone through all that...you're a real pistol."

Marie smiled and slurred a little, "Yup...I've been through a lot...but Logan was always there to pick up the pieces. He'd give me aaaanything I wanted...cept what I reeeeaaally really wanted..."

Remy flipped a card in the air and eyed her curiously. If she had been his girl, he'd give her anything she wanted. "What was it petit fleur? What wouldn't the wolf man give ya?"

Rogue took a hard sip of her drink, "A baby."

Remy's stomach dropped. Definitely a pretty tall order for a self-described loner. He took a swig of his own drink and sighed, "That's a pretty big commitment...but I'm sure if he loves ya, he'll try to make ya happy."

Rogue ran a hand through her hair and rested both elbows on the table as she put her face in her hands, "If he ever comes back..."

"If I had you at home, petit fleur, I'd come back."

Marie laughed a little and started on her fifth drink.

A couple of hours later, Remy walked into the mansion with her flung over his shoulder. She was singing...or attempting to in her very drunken state, "I wanna touch the earth, I waaanna break it in my haaands...I wanna grow somethin' wild and unruuuuly! I wanna sleep on haard ground...in the comfort of your arrms! Sing it with me Remy!"

He laughed as he carried her to her room, "Shhh, ya gotta be quiet. Don't wanna wake the whole place up."

When he reached her room, he laid her down on her bed and took off her shoes as she quickly began falling asleep. He covered her up and smiled before kissing her forehead and whispering, "Bon soir petit fleur..."  


* * *

Logan woke up with a start in the dingy hostel he'd been staying in outside of Sasebo. He was dreaming about Marie again. He looked at the communicator as it stuck out of his bag, but he decided not to use it. He was embarrassed for all of the shit he'd done behind her back there.

He'd been chasing leads all over Japan, and in turn, drinking, fighting and fucking all over Japan as well. He tried to stop himself, but with Marie so far away and the painful memories ever present in his mind, he couldn't. He'd never learned how to properly channel his emotions into a healthy outlet like a normal person.

He'd heard that when some people get stressed, they read, did yoga or wrote in a journal...not him. The only things Logan did was drink, fight and have sex with as many willing chicks as he could...at least when Marie wasn't around. When she was around, he'd talk to her about it, make love to her and fall asleep with her perfect body curled against his.

Up until a couple of weeks into his trip, he had no idea that he depended on her so much to keep him happy, decent and sane. She was like a medicine for him.

He wished her memory was enough to keep him from being such a dick, but he needed her calming presence, her voice, her eyes and her body to calm and comfort him.

Nearly five months into his trip, he'd found out that Itsu's murderer was a mutant, as he suspected, who operated under the name Winter Soldier. He wasn't sure if the mutant was still in Japan, but the contacts he'd been working with were good at pointing him in the right direction as long as he was willing to pay...so he fought in cages and arenas to earn money to fund his investigation. It slowed progress, but it worked and helped him relieve tension at the same time.

Every night, after beating the shit out of some poor, unsuspected bastard, he would go back to his room and mentally kick his ass as he thought about Marie.

He missed her so much, it hurt.  


* * *

Rogue clambered down the stairs the morning after she and Gambit's first night out. She wore sunglasses and her hair was still damp from her shower...the blow dryer would have been too loud for her this morning. She walked into the kitchen to find Remy smiling as he poured two cups of coffee, "Bonjour petit fleur! How ya feelin' this mornin'?"

She rubbed her temples as she reluctantly moved her sunglasses, "Like I should still be in bed."

He sat a cup of coffee down in front of her, accompanied by two extra strength tylenol, a shot of pepto, a large bottle of water and some ginger root.

She quirked a brow and looked down at the weird compilation of items, "What's this?"

"That, my dear, is Remy LeBeau's special hangover cure. Sip the coffee, take the tylenol, take the shot of pepto, drink the water and chew on the ginger root. You'll be right as rain in under an hour..."

She nodded and sighed, "Promise?"

Remy leaned over, "This'll only fix your head and tummy...you're the only one who can take control of everything else."  


* * *

Later that day, she was feeling much better...physically at least, just as Remy had promised. Jubilee bounded toward her, "So I hear somebody spent their night out with the ragin' cajun last night! I also hear that somebody didn't get home til damn near 3 in the morning."

Marie rolled her eyes and looked up from the book she was reading, "You pay more attention to my social life than I do Jubes."

Jubilee laughed and plopped on the couch next to her, "I gotta give it to ya chica...you have amazing taste in men. You tryin' to build you an assortment of underwear models or something?"

Marie ran a hand through her hair and tried not to blush, "Remy's just a friend."

"Yea, yea...that's what you said about Lo-", Jubilee cut herself off abruptly as she saw pain overtake Marie's expression.

Rogue looked down and closed her book, "It's ok, Jubes. It's ok...really. I can't fall apart whenever someone says his name."

Jubilee rubbed her friends shoulder, "He'll come back chica...I know he loves you."

Marie shook her head, "Five months and not a fucking word. You'd think he'd at least pick up the communicator or somethin'...I'm startin' to give up on him Jubes."

The sassy firecracker frowned and pulled Marie in for a hug. She knew how much she loved Logan and was downright pissed that he didn't bother to call her once in five months.  


* * *

Remy and Marie started hanging out even more as time passed. They bonded over their southern heritage, wicked sense of humor and love of country music. They had an unmistakable chemistry, but Marie wasn't sure it was because they were just really good together as friends...or if it was something more.

In her heart, she still felt like she belonged to Logan, but he had said they were on a break before he left...and he hadn't bothered to contact her in five months...so what would stop her from pursuing something with someone else?

Oh right...the fact that she was still hopelessly in love with him.

Remy knocked on Marie's door. She knew it was him, so she simply yelled out, "S'open!"

Remy walked in and plopped down on her bed, picking up a random women's magazine and flipping through it, "Bon soir petit fleur. Feelin' good?"

Marie shrugged, "Je suis bien, merci."

Remy raised his eyebrows, "You know French gorgeous?"

Her southern accent was thicker than ever when she was around him. She smiled and crossed her arms, "I'm from the Mississippi bayou LeBeau...just cause I don't switch back and forth between francais and english on the regular don't mean I forgot where I came from."

He smiled widely, "Well I ain't gonna forget that petit fleur. Now come on..."

She stopped him, "Tomorrow is Monday Remy...I can't get do any drinkin' tonight."

"I ain't plannin on gettin' you drunk gorgeous...I was gonna take you down to the rec room for a friendly game of table tennis."

About an hour later, she and Remy were in the empty rec room, involved in a slightly less than friendly game of ping pong.

Marie scored and stuck her tongue out, "Gettin' slow cajun...ya might wanna keep that day job of yours."

He smirked, "Let's raise the stakes a little, shall we?"

She cocked her head to the side and smiled, "What you got in mind Gambit?"

"Winner of the next point gets a kiss."

Marie was slightly taken aback at the proposition, but she was beating him 10 to 4 already...so her chances were pretty good. She pointed at him with her paddle, "You're on LeBeau."

They played on, but she was shocked when Remy easily scored against her. His eyes twinkled mischievously as he walked around the table to approach her, "I believe you owe me a kiss petit fleur."

She rolled her eyes and pecked him on the cheek, "There ya go."

He chuckled and shook his head, "Naw baby girl. That's not even a kiss you'd give your brother...I deserve a kiss on the lips."

"Hey mister...you didn't lay out the terms of the kiss."

"Well, it's a kiss I won, so I should be able to give it."

"Says who?"

"Says me, petit fleur. You're playin' Gambit's game now."

She laughed and smiled as she stared into his eyes, "Fine LeBeau...take your prize."

He stood and stared into her eyes for a moment before slowly taking a hold of her hips and bringing her body flush against his own. He leaned down and kissed her gently and sensually as her hand moved up through his hair, increasing the fervency of the kiss.

Before she knew it, the kiss got out of control and they were almost grinding against each other as their tongues played tug of war. She broke away, putting her head down as he allowed his lips to graze her forehead. He gently cupped her cheek and started to bring her lips back up to his but she put a hand on his chest and shook her head, looking at him with weak, pleading eyes, "Remy...no...please. I can't..."

Remy took a deep breath and tried to hide his pained expression as she took a step out of his embrace and rushed from the room.

* * *

**Come back to the light Logan!**


	20. I Can't Get Next to You

Marie avoided Remy like the plague for a whole week and it seemed like he was keeping his distance too. They finally ended up running into each other in the kitchen late one evening, both looking for comfort food. She paused at the door as he sat at the counter in front of a plate of left over pizza, "Hey..."

He glanced at her and took a bite of his pizza, "Hey yourself...can't sleep?"

She nodded and timidly stepped into the kitchen. He didn't look like he was very happy with her...in fact, he seemed downright frustrated with her. She didn't want to lose his friendship, so she decided to confront the situation head on, "Look Remy, I'm really sorry-"

He cut her off, "Don't be sorry petit fleur...I should have never bothered. It's obvious you like punishing yourself."

Her mouth dropped open as she took a step toward him, "Excuse me?"

"You've been mopin' around here for five months, poutin' over a man who ain't even bothered to pick up a damn phone. He's probably fucked his way cross that country while you're back here, pinin' over him."

"Remy, I told you before, it's complicated."

"Think of it this way...the wolf man is practically immortal...he's got all the time to waste in the world, so who knows how long he'll leave you hangin'? You sittin' here wastin' the best years of your life. Unlike his, our lives are short, petit fleur."

He tossed his garbage in the trash can and left the room, leaving her to stare off into space contemplatively. Remy had a point. Marie was barely 25 years old, but she was still closer to death than Logan was. Her child bearing years had already started slipping away and he still hadn't made up his mind about the decision to have a family. Did he happen to forget that she's not immortal?

The next afternoon, Marie invited Remy to participate in a Danger Room session with her, partly because she was interested in seeing his powers at work, but mostly because she wanted to break the ice.

He fought with a long cane, which Rogue found extremely sexy. His movements were graceful and fluid...each step was purposeful and elegant, as if he were performing a dance of some sort. When they were done, they were both sweating and exhausted, but smiling and teasing each other over moving too slow during the simulation.

As their laughter died down, Marie looked at him, "You know, I wanted to thank you for being such a great friend these past couple of months."

He reached over and tucked some white hair behind her ear, "Happy to be of service."

She shivered slightly at his intimate gesture and looked down shyly, "I also wanted to tell you that you're right...I shouldn't be waitin' around for Logan while he completely disregards my existence. I need to make the most of everyday."

He raised a brow, "Feel free to make the most of me, mom petit fleur."

Marie blushed and playfully nudged him, "Come on, let's go shower and then you can take me out."

Two hours later, they were walking through the streets of Manhattan. Remy was looking up at all the bright lights, "A sweet little southern thang like you was livin' in the big city all alone for 3 whole years?"

Marie nodded and smiled, "Yep...I like it well enough, but nothin' compares to home."

"Don't I know it, doll. Ain't nothin' like a good ole rickety porch swing and sweet tea on a hot southern day."

Marie took him to one of her favorite hang out spots, a jazz & blues club near the professor's Manhattan apartment. As the music played, they talked, drank and ate tapas, something Remy ended up calling "tay-past", much to Marie's amusement. He glanced at the dance floor when Al Green's "I Can't Get Next to You" came on. He held out his hand to her, "Care to dance petit fleur?"

She hesitated, but the glint in his eyes made her give in. Marie took his hand and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. As they began dancing, his hands slid around her waist and pressed himself to her as they swayed and rocked to the music. The words of the song swirled around them as they stared into each other's eyes.

_I can make it rain when I want it to_  
_Oh I, can build a castle from a single grain of sand_  
_I, you see, I can make a ship sail on dry land, tell him, yeah_

_Ain't happy am I with all the powers that I possess, yeah_  
_Girl, you're the key to my happiness and I_  
_Can't get next to you, babe_  
_I can't get next to you_  
_I've been trying a long time_

Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the proximity of their bodies, or maybe it was the words to the song and the sensual beat, but before they knew it, they were making out on the dance floor. Marie already had both hands in his hair and was nipping at his bottom lip when he pried her off of him, "Whoa there...slow down girly. It wouldn't be proper if we kept carryin' on like this 'round all these people."

Her breathing was ragged and her heart was racing, "Oh...sorry."

"Don't apologize cherie. That was magnifique."

She blushed slightly, "Do you wanna get outta here?"

"Lead the way."

She took him back to the professor's Manhattan apartment. It had been vacant since she moved out of it after graduating from NYU. Luckily for Marie, it was still furnished...with a bed.

When they walked into the apartment, Marie dropped the keys on the table beside the door and removed her jacket. Remy walked in behind her, removing his trench coat and draping it across a nearby chair. She had walked to the opposite side of the room and turned around, smiling nervously as she took a deep breath.

Remy smiled nervously as well. They didn't know how long they had been standing there, but it didn't matter when they spontaneously crossed the room, throwing themselves into each other's arms.

They kissed passionately and stumbled toward the bedroom, articles of clothing flying off as they went. By the time they reached the bedroom, he was shirtless and her dress and bra was a heap on the floor somewhere.

Remy spent a considerable amount of time with foreplay. He laid her back on the bed and kissed his way down her body. He hesitated when he passed the dog tags, then gently flung them to the side as he resumed tracing her body with his lips.

Marie shivered and moaned as he pulled her panties down off her hips. He kissed her hips and belly button, taking his sweet time exploring her body with his mouth before he crawled back up to kiss her lips. She wrapped her legs around his waist and reached down, guiding him toward her entrance. She arched her back as she felt him fill her, a moan escaping her lips.

Remy slowly began moving in and out of her, whispering soft, sweet French nothings in her ear. He was sweet, tender and so passionate in every move he made with her. He took his time with her, gently caressing and kissing every part of her exposed body.

When they were teetering on the bring of orgasm, Remy gripped her thigh and lifted it up so that he could pump in deeper. They rode the waves of their climax as he gripped onto her body, whispering her name reverently.

Afterwards, she lay on her side watching him perform a card trick while he sat up on the bed. He was using his powers to manipulate the movement of the cards when she noticed his red eyes, "Your eyes always turn red when you use your powers?"

He nodded, "Lil' scary, I know."

"Naw...it's cool."

He shrugged and put the cards down before he gently brushed some hair out of her eyes, "I'm quite taken with you petit fleur..."

She leaned up and kissed him, "You ain't so bad yerself, cajun."

His smile slowly faded as she shifted, causing the dog tags she wore around her neck to clank softly.

They spent the night in the apartment and returned to the mansion early the next morning. They tried to avoid the walk of shame, but of course, the ever present Jubilee saw them walking in.

Jubilee tried not to give Marie a hard time about it, but she honestly couldn't help it...Marie's sex life was more interesting than a soap opera.

Gambit and Marie never defined their relationship, but the cajun was very quickly falling for her. For one month, they continued to date and have sex for a full month. Everything seemed perfect. Marie had a friend she could confide in...who she also happened to have sex with. She could tell that he was starting to resent Logan's unspoken presence in their "relationship".

He always looked at the chains and tried to move them out of the way every time they were in bed together, and he constantly found himself staring at them whenever they were together. They laid in bed one evening after making love when he finally decided to confront her Logan demon. He flicked at the tags, "Why you still wear these petit fleur?"

Marie's hand protectively clutched the tags as she stuttered slightly, "I...I've always worn them...since I was just a teenager."

"Why don't you let go of your past with him cherie?"

"Remy, it ain't that easy...we've been through this."

"Yes and I still don't understand why you're holdin onto him! He ain't here Marie...and he might not ever come back!"

* * *

Logan didn't know how to feel when he found out Itsu's murderer had been killed by the very same Ninjas he studied with under his former master, Ogun. It had been their way of honoring him after he disappeared once Itsu had been murdered. Most of them had gone into hiding or had been assassinated, so tracking down one of Ogun's ninja masters was damn near impossible.

He visited Itsu's grave the day before he was to leave Japan. He knelt in the dirt and put his head down, "The time I spent with you was one of the best periods of my life. You gave me peace and comfort...so I hope you have the same in death. I haven't been OK since you died gorgeous...but I found someone who made me better. Only problem is, I think I may have royally fucked up..."

During the entire plane ride back, he thought about how he was going to approach Marie. He knew she would be pissed and she wouldn't be easy to talk to. After all, it had been six months and he hadn't tried to contact her at all...and he'd been fucking every willing Japanese woman in the country. She had every right to be a complete and total bitch to him.

She had been taking a backseat to dead women during their entire relationship. First Jean, then Kayla, then Itsu. He had to make it up to her some way, even if it did mean starting a family with her.

Logan walked back into the mansion and looked around. It didn't look like a whole lot had changed, except for the fact that Kitty and Bobby had a baby crawling around the place. Jubilee almost fell down the stairs when she saw him standing in the foyer, taking in his surroundings, "Logan?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Sup Jubes...where's Marie?"

Jubilee's eyes widened as she began stuttering, "Uh...well, I'm not sure...um. I think she went to lunch with...um...Remy."

"Who the fuck is Remy?"

Logan didn't need to wait for an answer. He turned around and saw one of most horrific sights he'd ever seen...his Marie, smiling with another man's arm wrapped around her waist.

She stopped dead in her tracks and paled when she saw him, "Logan."

Remy's eyes flashed red as Logan's fist clenched, "Marie...who the fuck is this?"

Marie took a step between the two as Remy tensed and started toward Logan. She glared at both of them, "We are not doin' this here." She turned back to Logan and lowered her voice, "How dare you march back in here after 6 months of total silence and demand to know who I'm spendin' my time with!"

His nostrils flared as he glanced at Remy over her head, "You and I-"

She cut him off, "Not...now."

He seethed as she took Remy's hand and pulled him away, leaving Logan in the foyer with his anger.

* * *

**Reviews please!**


	21. The Mess He Made

Logan was at a loss for words or action. He knew she would be angry at him when he got back, but he had no idea she would find someone else. He needed to talk to her.

He hated that Remy guy...he didn't even know him and Logan already found himself fantasizing about rearranging the pretty boy's face. Unfortunately, that wasn't the way to get Marie to talk to him...quite the opposite. So he waited...or at least he tried to.

* * *

"We gon' talk 'bout this?" Remy asked as she lay in the tub, chewing on her lip. She'd been hiding out in her room all evening and hadn't said about word about Logan.

Rogue shrugged and sighed, closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the edge of the tub.

He sat on the side of the tub and admired her body as she soaked in the water. He couldn't lose this to that unappreciative animal. If he had been away from her, he would have called her every day just to remind her that he missed her...but not the wolf man. Regardless of the fact that Remy was there for her, he knew that she and Logan went way back. They'd been through a lot together and even though Logan had been a complete ass for the past six months, that didn't exactly erase the fact that he had helped her through the roughest parts of her life.

Remy was preparing himself for disappointment. He let out a breath, "Marie...I-"

He was interrupted by a knock on the door. Marie jumped and looked at him. Her breathing had quickened and she almost seemed to be shivering...she must have known it was Logan. She got out of the tub and quickly dried herself before throwing on a short satin robe. Remy followed her into the room and crossed his arms as she opened the door.

Logan almost fell to his knees when she opened the door. This was home. This was why he even bothered to come back. She stood there in nothing but a short, slinky satin robe with her hair messily pulled up off of her neck. Her nipples were already hardening against the drafty air of the mansion beneath the soft fabric. He's been with plenty of women while he was away, but none of them could have ever compared to her.

She cocked her head to the side, "May I help you?"

He started to smile, but when he saw Remy in the room behind her, his face drooped into an angry scowl, "What the hell is he doing in here?"

Marie glanced back at Remy and crossed her arms, "That's not really your business, Logan."

Logan took a deep, steadying breath as the cajun smiled smugly from where he stood. He needed to get his anger under control before he made etouffee outta that bastard. When he felt calm enough to speak without growling, he looked back at Marie and softened his expression, "May I talk to you? Alone?"

Marie studied him for a moment, then uncrossed her arms. This was one of the many moments Remy had been dreading since Logan arrived a few hours earlier. She turned to Remy, "Would you mind givin' us a minute?"

Remy stared at Logan long and hard before nodding. He kissed Marie on the cheek then walked out of the room, brushing past Logan without a word.

Marie turned around and walked further into her room as she heard Logan take a few steps in and close (and lock) the door behind him. There was a long moment of silence before he finally decided to speak, "I'm real s-"

She turned around and cut him off angrily, "Don't you dare say I'm sorry. There are a lot of situations where the phrase 'I'm sorry' is appropriate and enough to make the situation better...I'm sorry for stepping on your toe, I'm sorry for breaking that vase, I'm sorry for denting your car. I'm sorry doesn't even begin to fuckin' cut it for the shit you pulled!"

_The shit I pulled? Did she absorb the powers of a telepath or something while he was gone?_

She caught his look and sucked her teeth, "I don't need to fuckin' read your mind to know you probably boinked your way across that country. If you hadn't, you would have at least had the balls to call me. I know you, Logan... and you are an asshole."

**Marie- 1. Logan- 0.**

"Look, kid...I know I completely fucked up and I know I hurt you and regardless of whether it's the right thing to say, I AM sorry. I'm the sorriest son of a bitch in the world because I hurt you. When I got there, all I could think about was Itsu and all the shit I went through after her death. I didn't have you there to be my saving grace...so I just went off the deep end. You make me sane, kid. Without you, I'm no good."

He crossed the room and put his hands on her arms but she yanked away, "How many dead women am I going to have to compete with! First, you abandoned me for Jean...you just had to get away from the mansion to give yourself some space from her memory. So you left me here with those nightmares! All alone! Then Kayla...we won't forget the compromising situation that we were in when she made her debut in our relationship, will we? Now...Itsu. The woman you had to travel around the world for. Then once you got there, you were so consumed with thoughts of her and your grief over her, you went AWOL! Let's face it Logan. You didn't really leave to go find Itsu's killer...that may have been part of the plan, but that wasn't all. You left to get away from me."

**Marie- 2. Logan- 0.**

He shook his head, "No...I'd never wanna get away from you, kid."

"Oh save it. As soon as the word 'baby' cane outta my mouth, you started looking for a way out. You left because you couldn't handle finally having a real live woman to hold onto, instead of the memory of one! You couldn't handle the fact that I have real live needs. You're scared shitless of it."

He raised his voice, "Fine! Maybe I was scared of having a baby! You're barely in your mid twenties and I don't know how to stay in one place longer than a few months. I've never had to live for anyone but myself, kid...then you came along and it scared the shit outta me to realize I cared about someone else more than myself. Alkali Lake...Victor...damn near killed me. Then after that, I was constantly freaking out over your safety...maybe Japan was my break away from all the constant worry. I do know that the prospect of having to constantly stress out about a baby's safety AND yours freaked me out..."

**Marie- 2. Logan- 1.**

She took a deep breath and shook her head, "I was so scared something had happened to you...I had the professor use Cerebro to find out if you were still alive. You were...but that's all I told him I wanted to know. God only knows what he woulda caught you doin'."

He touched her arms gently, "Kid, I'm so sorry...I know it'll take more than an apology, but come on...it's you and me we're talking about."

"What you and me? You said we were on a break before you left..."

He took a step back, "It's the swamp rat, isn't it?"

She shot him a glare, "His name happens to be Remy LeBeau and he helped pull me outta the depression caused by you abandonin' me. He genuinely cares about me."

"You can't be serious about this guy, kid."

"Why not? Cause he's not you? Without him, I'd be layin' in that bed, still cryin' my eyes out over you. But you woulda liked that, wouldn't you? Poor little delicate Marie, waitin' on her knight in rusty armor to come back and pick up the pieces of the heart he broke."

He almost growled, "I fucking love you, Marie."

"That woulda been nice to hear a couple of months ago, Wolverine."

**End Game: Marie- 3. Logan- 1.**

He took a deep breath. It was clear he was going to have to fight for her.

Fine. He was game. He could handle a pretty boy from the bayou. He was gonna romance the shit out of her...then, if that didn't work, he would get her back in bed and remind her of what she was missing.

He took a couple of slow, intimidating steps toward her before leaning down, "I'm not lettin' you go that easy Marie. The Wolverine has never let anything go without a fight."

He stared at her long and hard before turning on is heel and walking out of her room. He walked a ways down the hall to find Remy casually leaning against the door frame into his own room.

Logan stopped and eyed the Cajun warily, "Got somethin' to say, say it French Quarter."

Remy glared, "Lookit here wolf man...I happen to care 'bout that woman very much and if you've come back to hurt her-"

"Save it, Cajun. Just stay outta my way." Logan couldn't help but smirk as he brushed past a glaring Remy.

The swamp rat seemed worried. He must know that Marie still has feelings for him.

* * *

It was a baby Jesus miracle, but Marie had managed to avoid ending up in the same room with both Remy and Logan for three whole days. She had also avoided being cornered by Logan. Remy, on the other hand, was slightly more cunning that the burly Logan in that manner. Almost immediately after she and Logan's initial talk, Remy showed up in her room.

"You still not over him, are ya?"

Marie sighed and looked out the window, "You know the answer to that..."

"I know I ain't no love expert petit fleur, but I do know if he hurt ya once...he'll do it again."

She looked back at him and stroked his face, "Remy...you mean a lot to me...your friendship, your affection has all kept me goin' these past few months...but I told you how complicated it was."

She was right. She had warned him about her soft spot for the animal. She told him that she was in love with Logan, and even though they had slept together (a lot), it didn't erase her history with Logan. He had to respect the fact that she had been upfront with him from the beginning...but it hadn't stopped him from hoping against hope that she would fall just as helplessly in love with him as he was with her.

It also didn't make it hurt any less when he realized there was a good chance she may leave him for the Wolverine.

Remy caught her hand as she stroked his face, "I know you gonna do what you want cher, but just know I'll always be there for ya."

She kissed him softly before he turned and left the room. That little kiss was all he could handle from her.

* * *

The stress was starting to affect her sleep. She laid in bed one night, staring at the ceiling until she finally decided to get up. Hell, if she was gonna be awake, she may as well do something constructive.

Marie got dressed in her workout clothes, which consisted of a top that was (for all intensive purposes) a sports bra, shorts and sneakers. She put on a zip up hoodie to walk down to the gym, but figured she could take it off and work out without being disturbed. After all, the gym was the hottest room in the mansion.

She spent an hour beating the crap out of the unsuspecting punching bag. Her body glistened with a soft layer of sweat by the time she stopped and began taking the gloves off her hands. She almost screamed when she heard his voice behind her, "Lookin' good, kid."

Marie had already been out of breath from her workout, and him scaring her had made her sound even more desperate for air, "Jesus H. Christ Logan! Don't you know how to announce yourself when you enter a fuckin' room?"

He eyed her hungrily as he approached her. She looked good enough to eat. Her entire midsection was bare, her mile long legs stemmed out of those tiny little shorts perfectly and that soft glisten on her skin caused by the sweat of her workout only made her more delectable.

Logan walked until he was barely a foot in front of her, "I was just comin' down to work out some stress, kid. Been having trouble sleeping cause I can't get a certain someone outta my mind."

She rolled her eyes and threw the gloves down, casting an icy glance in his direction, "Now you know how I felt for six months." She smiled bitterly, "Payback's a bitch, huh doll?"

He raised an eyebrow. She'd gotten a little more sassy during his absence...he liked it. She started to step around him, but he stopped her, moving in front of her to block any escape, "You really hate me, kid?"

She glared up at him, but then sighed and looked away, "Hate's a pretty strong word."

He smiled slightly, "I don't think you hate me at all beautiful...in fact I think you still want me just as bad as you always have."

Marie rolled her eyes and pulled on her zip up hoodie, "Why are you here?"

He was disappointed to see some of that luscious flesh get covered, but he could fix that. He took a step forward and touched the chain around her neck, "To figure out why you're still wearing these."

She shivered at the closeness of his body. She was too weak for this...

He quickly swooped in and captured her lips in a feverish kiss. She couldn't help but comply with his lips as he yanked her jacket off her shoulders and backed her up to the nearest wall, letting his mouth move from her lips to her neck.

She ran her hands through his hair and moaned pitifully as he pushed his hand down the front of her shorts to finger her soft mound. He redirected his lips back to hers and whispered her name before lifting her up and wrapping her legs around his waist as he ground himself against her.

As good as it felt, she couldn't give into this...he had to work for her. He had to do more than give her a mind blowing orgasm, he had to prove himself to her.

She broke the kiss and shook her head, pushing against his shoulders, "No Logan...no."

He stopped reluctantly, shivering as he set her back down on her feet. He rested his forehead against hers and whispered breathlessly as he closed his eyes, "Just tell me what you want and I'll do it. I'll fuckin' do anything for you, kid. Just let me back in..." He touched her chest over the area where her heart beat.

When she looked up at him, he noticed the tears in her eyes. She pushed away from him and ran from the room. Logan sunk down to the floor by the wall and put his head in his hands.

It was then that he started to feel it...the dull ache inside of his chest. It was the pain that he had caused her. It was the pain of knowing that she no longer fully trusted him with her heart.

It was the pain of knowing he had broken her heart.

* * *

**Reviews please! Oh, and don't forget to tell me what team you're on! Team Remy or Team Logan? Do tell! **


	22. The Looove Doctor

Logan snuck into her room the following night and watched her sleep for a while before laying one long stemmed white rose on the pillow beside her. He'd gone to a store that day and, while looking for something to get her, he had unwittingly struck up a conversation with an old lady.

"Looking for something nice to buy for your girlfriend, sonny?"

Logan glanced at the woman as he looked through the sickening selection of teddy bears, flowers and cards, "Uh...somethin' like that."

He started to reach for some cheesy looking teddy bear holding a heart that said "I love you" on it, when the old lady stopped him, "If I may throw out a little suggestion?"

She didn't wait for him to give her permission before she started talking again. He really wanted to be left alone. It was bad enough he would be caught dead on this aisle...now an old lady was poking her nose into his business.

"Now, I find that all women, no matter how old or young they are, appreciate the beauty of a flower...the rose in particular. One breath taking, open long stemmed rose is enough to give a girl butterflies. You just have to find the color that suits your lady."

Logan eyed her curiously, "Roses come in more than red?"

The old lady laughed and took his arm, leading him to an impressive (aka expensive) display of roses in a refrigerated case, "Now, which of these do you think best fits your lady's personality?"

Logan's first instinct was to go for the red. Marie was a spitfire and red did seem to be a good color...but it seemed too common. He perused the display case and stopped in front of one long stemmed white rose. It stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the smorgesboard of color.

It was unique, pure, beautiful and vivacious...just like Marie.

The old lady smiled, "Ah...lovely choice young man...lovely choice."

Now he stood over Marie as she slept next to the white rose that embodied her sweet, delicate spirit. He laid a card next to her and left just as quietly as he came.  


* * *

Marie woke up to the gentle smell of roses. She smiled upon seeing the gorgeous, long stemmed white rose next to her. She picked up the card and read it, surprised to realize that the subtle romantic gesture was not from Remy, but from Logan. It was nice, but he had another thing coming if he thought that was enough to win her over.

He approached her at lunch because she hadn't thrown herself into his arms at his little gesture.

"Hey kid...you look like you woke up on the right side of the bed this morning."

She smiled and nodded, "I did...the rose and the note was really nice. Thanks."

_Was that it? Thanks?_

Logan sighed. This was going to be hard, especially for a guy whose definition of romance was going down on a girl. He'd never bought flowers for anyone. He at least expected to get a kiss out of it. Marie watched his expression, "You can't think that's enough Logan...six months of doin' god knows what and...one flower. Just don't add up cowboy."

She walked away, leaving him to look confused and slightly lost.

She sat down at a lunch table, where Remy promptly approached and kissed her cheek, "Heya petit fleur, how's your day shapin' up?"

Logan huffed and shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked out of the room before he could catch anymore of their conversation. He couldn't watch them carry on like that.  


* * *

Storm found him just as he had broken a punching bag by accidentally releasing his claws while he was training. She jumped a little and crossed her arms, "Whoa Logan...want to talk about it?"

He growled and plopped down on a bench, "Talk about what."

She sat down across from him, "Marie."

Logan wasn't the type of guy to spill his guts to anyone or ask for advice...but he was in uncharted territory here. If he didn't ask for help, he was gonna keep flying blind. He let out an exasperated sigh, "I don't know why she had to go start bedding down with that swamp rat."

"Well thank the gods she did, Logan. Rogue was deeply depressed when you never bothered to call. When she wasn't teaching, she was in her room crying her eyes out. You hurt her very deeply."

Logan stood and began walking out of the room, "I didn't ask for a guilt trip, Ro."

"I'm not giving you one, but if you want to make it better with her...you need to know how deep the wound goes before you try to treat it."

Logan stopped and turned around. He stared at her long and hard, "Fine...but if you're gonna make me feel like shit, let's at least go to a place where I can get some booze."

An hour later, Logan was holding back chuckles as Storm nervously eyed the seedy bar he had taken them to. She had gasped in disgust at the sight of the peanut shells littering the floor.

Logan took a sip of his whiskey and warily glanced at the frou frou chick drink she ordered. He cleared his throat, "So go ahead...tell me I ruined her. Tell me how much of a dick I am."

"She'd never want anyone saying those things about you...even if some of them are true."

He shrugged and looked down at the table, "What happened to Marie when I left?"

Storm sighed and ran her finger over the rim of her glass, "She was very quiet...very introverted. The day you left, she wasn't herself. Jubilee and Piotr took her out to cheer her up and she got really really drunk. She almost went home with some strange guy, but Piotr stepped in and brought her home. After that she just...she wasn't herself anymore. The light inside her faded a little...until Remy started spending time with her."

Logan rolled his eyes and took a swig of his drink, "Lucky Cajun...finds a girl who's broken hearted and hops into the sack with her."

"That's not what happened, Logan. They were friends first. He was just there for her. They connected on a lot of different levels. They can relate to each other...I'll tell you...when she took up with him, she finally started smiling again."

Logan scowled and raised his glass, nodding toward the bar tender to signal for a refill. He turned his eyes back to Storm and sighed, "So what is he? Her boyfriend?"

Storm shook her head and sighed, "No, they never defined their relationship."

"Why?"

"Because of you. Rogue told him about you at the very beginning and warned him that she wasn't sure she'd be able to let go of you, but I'm sure Remy would probably marry her if given the opportunity."

Logan gave her a determined look after another drink was delivered to their table, "I'm not giving up on her."

"I know aren't...of course you won't. You're the Wolverine. You've never given up on anything without a fight...but maybe you're fighting for the wrong thing. Maybe instead of fighting to keep her, you should be fighting for her happiness."

Sometimes Logan hated Storm for being so insightful.  


* * *

Remy tried not to get bothered by the fact that he and Marie hadn't really had the chance to spend any time alone since Logan's untimely arrival. He didn't like how preoccupied she had seemed since Logan arrived, so he decided to try and cheer her up with her favorite Chinese food.

He loved the way her eyes lit up when he plopped the bag of lo mein and General Tso's chicken on the table. She rewarded him with a sweet kiss and an invitation to watch a movie in her room.

"I know it hasn't been easy for ya hon...havin' Logan here an all. I just wanna thank you for still bein' there for me", she said as she picked through a box of food with a pair of chop sticks.

Remy brushed her hair out of her face, "I'll always wanna be there for you, cher. You're wonderful." He leaned in and kissed her lips softly, then pulled away and stared into her eyes, "If you go back with the wolf man, make sure he treats you right. That's what you deserve."

Marie bit her lip, "Remy, I-"

He raised a hand, "Don't worry bout it darlin'...let's not talk 'bout it now, k?"

She nodded and curled into his arms as they watched the movie.

* * *

Logan had the overwhelming urge to hold Marie in his arms, or at least talk to her, so he made his way down to her room. The hallway was pretty dark and he could clearly make out the dancing lights of her television from underneath her door.

He knocked softly, but when he didn't get an answer, he slowly opened the door to peak in. His heart started to crack in two when he saw Marie and Remy, curled up against each other on her bed. Although they were still fully clothed, their position was intimate and clearly showed their deep affection for one another.

Logan quietly closed the door and rushed out of the room. He made a beeline for Storm's room. She was the only person he could talk to and oddly enough, even when she was calling him out on his bull shit, she didn't make him feel judged. If he was going to win Marie back, it would be Ororo who would help him get her back.

She was rubbing her eyes and pulling on her robe as she answered the door, "What's up Logan?" *yawn* "Something wrong?"

He took a trembling breath, "I just need someone to talk to."

She nodded slowly and opened the door wider, silently beckoning him in as she ran a hand through her hair, trying to tame her wild white mane. He sat down in the arm chair and put his head in his hands, "I love her, Ro."

"I know Logan, I know."

"Do you think she knows?"

Storm sat down on the bed across from him and stared at him, "She used to...then you left and...I don't think she's as sure as she once was. What you did destroyed her faith in what you two shared."

"I don't know how many times I need to say I'm sorry. I'm not one of those emotional guys."

Storm laughed softly, "Your secret is safe with me Wolverine. I won't tell anyone you're a regular person."

He gave her a half smile, "Do you have any ideas about how to get me outta the dog house?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Give her time. Be more sensitive...put her needs before your own...be thoughtful. Ask her if there's something special she wants. Romance her a little...date her. I don't think you guys have ever really done that."

He scoffed a little bit, "Date?"

"Yes...a date. And not that place that you took me to. Take her to a place that has table cloths and menus...no peanut shells on the floor."

He laughed a little as he watched Storm yawn widely. He had always admired her exotic beauty and quiet spirit from afar, but since Scott and Jean died, they had become closer and she had proved to be a pretty decent friend. Especially now with the whole Marie debacle unfolding. She was being a great support system and he would have to figure out a way to pay her back...after he got Marie back.

He yawned himself, "Thanks Ro...I'm gonna let you go back to bed. Sorry for waking you."

She smiled as they stood, walking to the door. She placed a comforting hand on his back, "It's what friends are for. Let me know if you need anymore advice from the looove doctor."

He rolled his eyes and chuckled, then quickly leaned in and kissed her cheek. The kiss was meant to be quick and friendly, but it lingered just one second too long...making the moment that followed horribly awkward.

They simultaneously cleared their throats and kept accidentally speaking at the same time. Finally, Logan just rushed out the door, leaving Storm to wonder why the hell a three second kiss could cause so much weirdness.

He shook off the awkward moment and began talking to himself out loud, reciting Storm's love advice like a mantra as he walked back to his room, "Be more sensitive...put her needs before my own...be thoughtful...date...ask her if there's something she wants."

He realized that he already knew the answer to the question of what she wanted...and he prayed he was ready for it if that was truly what she still wanted.

* * *

**Has your team alliance changed? Let me know what you're thinking!**


	23. Make Me Over

He finally gained entry into Marie's room without the Cajun eying him like he was some sort of Russian spy. They were all alone and, unfortunately, still fully clothed. He leaned against the desk and listened as she talked about her students, gesturing with her hands constantly.

He nodded and said the appropriate "really", "you don't say" and "I can relate" phrases in the right spots, but on the inside, he was panicking about he was going to ask her out. This was a woman he had seen (and who had seen him) naked on multiple occasions, often for extended periods of time...so why did asking her out on a date make him feel like a prepubescent boy asking his dream girl to the prom?

She stopped talking and raised a brow, "You ok? You look a little preoccupied."

He cleared his throat and shook his head, "Nah, I'm good. Just got a question to ask you, that's all."

"What's up?"

Logan took a deep breath and murmured, "I wanted to ask you out on a date."

She scrunched up her eyebrows and leaned over, "What did you say?"

He raised his voice slightly, "I wanted to ask you out on a date."

Marie's eyebrows shot skyward, "A date? Wow...um...ok, I guess."

He grumbled, "Don't do me any favors, kid."

"It's not like that, Logan. It's just that I don't seem to have the best judgment when it comes to you. I'm tryin' to figure out what's best for my future and I don't think I can do that while you're eyein' me across a restaurant table...at least not yet."

The last part gave Logan a little bit of hope, although he was disappointed she didn't outright say "yes".

He nodded, "Fine kid...I'll give you some time."

He kissed her forehead and stroked her cheek before leaving her room to find Storm and give her a status report. He found her in the kitchen, cleaning up after a birthday party one of the younger kids had.

He leaned against the door frame and watched her for a second before she spoke, "Are you just going to stand there and watch me clean or are you going to lend a hand?"

"I'd much rather stand here...but since you asked so nicely..."

He walked in and started rearranging tables and chairs and helpfully popped balloons with his claws before disposing of them in the trash. She smirked at him, "Is it right to assume you're in need of some more advice?"

"Yep."

"What happened?"

Logan sat down and shrugged, "I asked her out nicely, just like you said, but she said she needs more time to figure things out. To be honest, I'm kinda relieved she didn't want to go out immediately. The fanciest restaurant I've ever been to was Applebee's. I wouldn't know how to act in one of those weird places with the violins and the stuffy waiters."

Storm laughed, "Maybe we should take you for a trial run?"

"What? You and me? On a date?"

"Think of it more like a pseudo-date. A training of sorts so that you don't make a complete fool of yourself at the real thing."

He rubbed his chin and slowly shook his head, "Gee Ro...I dunno..."

"Oh come on, what do you have to lose?"

"My dignity, for starters."

She laughed and playfully nudged him, "First, we'll need to take you shopping because I'm sure you don't have any suits stowed away in your duffle bag...then I'll pick a restaurant and we'll go to dinner, during which, I'll teach you proper dining etiquette."

Logan groaned, "I feel like I'm starring in a bad chick flick."

* * *

He didn't think it could get any worse, but it did...Jubilee got involved. Storm insisted on having another opinion present as he tried on suits, which made him horribly self conscious.  
He was the Wolverine. An indestructible killing machine who wasn't afraid of anything...now he was trying on monkey suits in front of two chicks and doing everything they said. If they said turn around, he turned. If they said take off the jacket, the jacket was off.

"Call the professor. Tell him I found a portal to hell. It's right here in the men's department at Neiman Marcus", Logan said as Storm and Jubilee fussed over him.

Jubes nudged him, "Oh stop being such a big baby. We haven't even been here two hours."

"Two hours? Is it normal to spend that much time in a store?"

Storm smiled as she adjusted his jacket, "I've spent three hours shoe shopping before."

Logan looked at the suit, "You're a weirdo...this one looks the same as the other four hundred. Can I just get it and go?"

Jubilee and Storm looked at each other, then nodded silently, granting him permission to get the suit. As they walked through the store, they pulled him into the shoe section. After picking a decent pair of dress shoes and nearly hyperventilating over the price, he was relieved to start heading for the door...that's when it all came crashing down. Jubilee and Storm spotted a shoe sale.

He had to fight the urge to drop to his knees, lift his head to the sky and cry, "Noooooooo! Why god why!"

But instead, he sat down in one of those, "waiting-on-your-chick" chairs and cringed when he remembered Storm mention she had once spent 3 hours shoe shopping.

Logan watched as Jubilee and Storm rushed around like kids in a candy store before he dropped his head and sighed, "Correction. The portal to hell is located in the shoe department."

Three hours and five pairs of shoes later, he had been drug into some overly modern salon where a woman with tri-colored hair was eying him with a pair of scissors. He yanked Jubilee close and whispered through clenched teeth, "If Edwina Scissorhands over there touches one strand of hair on my muttonchops, I will make sure every single pair of shoes you bought sports my claw marks, got it?"

Jubilee's eyes flew open as she rushed over to the hair stylist who was preparing a concoction of deep conditioners and products, "Um, Sandra! We'll keep the facial hair...what's your vision for his hair?"

Logan knew his hair had grown out a bit too long, so that was the only reason he allowed Jubes and Storm to drag him to the place. He warily eyed the approaching stylist who spoke with a heavy English accent, "I'd like to get all this muck out of his hair, give him a good deep conditioner and see how it flows naturally, then give him a good trim to give it a better shape."

Logan cursed under his breath...what the fuck was he getting himself into?

An hour later, Storm and Jubilee stood staring at him widemouthed. The change was subtle, but made him look amazing. His hair was no longer in the stiff, wild style he usually wore it in. It actually moved when he turned his head. (Think Logan's hair in the "Origins" movie.)

"So? What do you think, love?" asked Sandra who stood behind him as he looked in the mirror.

He raised a brow and grumbled in satisfaction, which made everyone smile. Jubilee's and Storm's shoes were safe, for now.

* * *

The next day, he found Marie, who immediately noticed the change in his hair.

_"That's my girl",_ he thought. She wasn't so mixed up with the Cajun that she had stopped looking at him.

"Do you like it?" he asked, almost hopefully.

She gently reached up and ran a hand through his now silky hair, "Yea...you look...well, more human."

He rolled his eyes, "Gee, thanks."

"No, I didn't mean to say you looked like an animal or somethin' before...but your hair was a bit wild."

He cleared his throat, "Me and Storm are gonna hang out tonight."

Marie's heart dropped a little as she pictured him with the white haired beauty. She spoke slowly and crossed her arms, "You and Storm?"

He nodded and spoke quickly, "We're just friends, so don't get any ideas."

Marie smiled slightly, but on the inside, she was breathing a huge sight of relief, "Well you guys have a good time."

"You got plans with French Quarter? If you don't-"

She cut him off gently, "Thanks, but I'm babysitting Selena."

Selena was Bobby and Kitty's infant daughter. She was just a few months old and Logan knew Marie was their go-to babysitter. He wondered if that biological clock of hers was still in over drive...it probably was, seeing that she ended up taking care of a baby that wasn't hers multiple times a week.

He gave her a gentle nudge, "Well, have fun with dirty diapers, formula and all that."

"I will..."

She watched him walk away and sighed as she felt the wall she had built around her heart start to crumble.

* * *

"Elbows off the table, Logan."

That was Storm's fifteenth time saying that and both of them were becoming exasperated. Logan was bothered by the number of forks uppity people seemed to need to eat.

He was sitting in some fancy Italian restaurant wearing his fresh suit, wishing he was back at the mansion, in front of the television with a beer.

He rolled his eyes as she smacked his knuckles, reminding him which utensil was for salads, "Look Ro...I appreciate the help, but if you smack my hand one more time, I'll eat with my hands."

She laughed a little, "So did you talk to Marie today?"

"Yea...I told her you and I were going out and she seemed a little...weird about it."

Storm raised a brow, "Weird how? You mean jealous?"

"Yea...she might have been a little jealous."

"That's a good sign, Logan! That's a very good sign. That means she at least still cares."

Logan stared down at the fancy display of food that the waiter sat in front of him. He nodded, slightly distracted, "Uh yea, I guess...so am I supposed to eat this or plant it? Looks like a goddamn flower display."

"Just eat, Logan."

Marie sat in the rocking chair in Bobby and Kitty's room, feeding Selena her last bottle of the evening. Bobby and Kitty were away on a desperately needed date night. She began humming a soft song to the baby when Remy appeared in the doorway, "That look suits you, petit fleur."

"What look?"

"You...and the babe...motherhood."

She blushed slightly, but changed the subject, "I thought you were out with the boys tonight. Plans get ruined?"

"Naw gorgeous...we're still gettin' ready to go. Gettin' four guys ready and out the door is harder than gettin' girls wrangled."

Marie laughed lightly, "I betcha Warren can't figure out what to wear."

When Marie laid the baby down, she turned on the monitor and hooked it to her belt before leading Remy out of the room and down the hall to the den.

He eyed her curiously, "So, how's the wolf man been treatin' you?"

She let out a breath, "Remy, don't do this to yourself. You know good and well you don't wanna know anything about Logan."

Marie was right. He didn't want to know a damn thing about him, but he needed to know how well or badly he was treating her so he could figure out what his chances were of making her the future Mrs. LeBeau or her becoming just another gal pal who he used to sleep with.

* * *

**Review please! **

**I'm feeling like this story could have been split into two parts because of how much lighter these past couple of chapters have been compared to the hell Marie went through during the first few chapters. Oh well...too late now!**


	24. My Two Loves

It had been four months since Logan's return and he had been stepping his game up as far as Marie was concerned. He showed up at her door one morning holding a tray of scrambled eggs, sausage, toast and juice. Luckily for him, breakfast was the only type of food he knew how to cook. From then on, he'd ensure her breakfast in bed at least three times a week.

He started learning how to cook more recipes and even made her waffles on a couple of different occasions. Logan stopped caring if Storm, Hank, or even Remy walked into the kitchen in the morning to find him hovering over a cookbook and a hot stove.

Marie was worth the humiliation.

One afternoon, Marie rushed around the mansion looking for a shopping buddy to help her buy a dress for an upcoming formal fundraiser. Kitty was busy with her baby, Jubilee was cuddled underneath her newest boy toy (Piotr) and Storm was too busy to make a trip to the mall.

Marie pouted as she made her way to the garage, preparing to go by herself. Logan was standing just outside, smoking a cigar, "Hey beautiful, what's up with the long face?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "I need a new dress for the fundraiser and no one has the time to go with me."

Logan already regretted what he was about to say, but it had to be said. He wanted her to know he was willing to do anything to get back within her good graces...no matter how unpleasant it was. He smiled and extinguished his cigar, "No problem there, kid. I'll go with ya."

Marie's face brightened, "You'd do that? I thought you hated malls."

He did, more than she knew. Especially after his all day, horrendous excursion with Storm and Jubilee.

Logan smiled and nodded, "Yea. If you need somethin', I'm there."

"Alright...if you're sure..."

* * *

Two hours later, Logan sat in a chair outside of the waiting room of a random dress shop in the mall, waiting for Marie to come out and show him her first pick. She'd picked out a thousand dresses and Logan was already exhausted.

He sat up when she finally emerged from the dressing room, wearing a strapless, sky blue number. It was classy, but looked like it could have been a bridesmaids dress.

"So? What do you think?" she asked as she gave him a little twirl.

He shook his head, "Kinda plain, don't ya think?"

She nodded, "Yea, kinda looks like I'm about to fluff my best friend's wedding gown. Wait till you see the next one."

He sat back and waited until she came out with her next dress choice. He perked up a little when she walked out of the dressing room wearing a one shoulder purple gown. Definitely better than the last.

She looked at herself in the mirror and smoothed out the fabric, "How about this one?"

He cocked his head to the side and folded his arms, "It's nice..."

Marie pursed her lips and studied herself in the mirror, seemingly scrutinizing every angle of her body, "Nice...I was going for somethin' a little more impressive than nice"

Logan didn't know what to say. He'd heard of relationships that ended outside of dressing rooms because men had said the wrong thing, so he kept quiet and just nodded. She retreated back to the dressing room without another word.

She stepped out again wearing a black, satin dress with draped cowl neck in the front. At first glance, it was a pretty classy number that showed an understated amount of cleavage, which prompted Logan to almost speak up and give it his seal of disapproval...until she turned around. Her well toned, sexy back was completely exposed and the dress dipped dangerously low near the top of her ass. Logan drew in a breath and forgot how to speak as she looked at him expectantly, "So?"

"Uh..uh...uh...wow", was all he could get out.

Marie smiled and blushed, "There's the reaction I was lookin' for."

Logan cleared his throat and looked down, "Yea...that one."

She looked down at the price tag and cringed slightly, but brushed it off and began to try to find things wrong with the dress, "It kinda makes my butt look big...and black is such a boring color."

"How much is it?"

Marie sighed and lowered her voice, "Eight hundred."

"Dollars?" Logan half asked, half exclaimed.

She just nodded and smoothed her hands over the material that fit over her delicious body like a glove.

Logan had saved up a lot of money during the past few years cage fighting...this seemed as good an investment as any, "I got it, kid."

She furrowed her eyebrows, "Logan...that's a lot of money and everything is still so weird between us...I just don't think I can accept it."

He stood and let his eyes run over her body, "Your body was made for a dress like this, kid." He watched her pause and prepare to refuse his offer again, but he stopped her, "I'm buyin' the dress, kid. You can wear it if you want."

* * *

The next day, Marie woke up feeling awful, so she figured she was coming down with a nasty cold. When her symptoms got worst the following day, she asked Hank to look her over.

He asked her about her symptoms and, after a brief examination, determined that she was suffering from a sinus infection.

Marie sneezed as Hank perused the shelves of the impeccably stocked medicine cabinet, "Do you think I'll be ok in time for the fundraiser? I have the most amazing dress in the world and I cannot miss that party."

Hank chuckled and turned around with a bottle of pills, "Your symptoms should improve within the next several days if you take an antiobiotic. Are you taking any medications, Rogue?"

She shook her head as she blew her nose. She was so preoccupied with being sick, she completely forgot that her birth control is considered a form of "medication".

He handed her the pills, "This is amoxicillin. It's an antibiotic. Now even if you do start to feel better, you have to continue taking this twice a day for the next 12 days or else the infection could come back. Be sure to take it when you eat, alright?"

She nodded and thanked him before shuffling from the room.

Logan came up to her room an hour later when he didn't see her at lunch. She answered the door and quickly plopped back in bed as he covered her up and felt her forehead, "Damn kid, you look like you don't feel so good."

"Logan, you shouldn't be here. I'll make you sick."

He laughed, "Even if you sneezed in my face, I still couldn't get sick. Just another handy side effect of my mutation. Face it, you're stuck with me taking care of you."

She forced a weak smile and sneezed into her tissue, "God I feel like crap. My head is hurting from sneezing and coughing so much, I can't even sleep because I'm so stuffed up...I haven't even eaten."

Within 20 minutes, Logan had left Marie's room and come back with a tray of dry toast, soup and water. He found Remy standing in the doorway talking to Marie as she laid in bed. Logan dutifully delivered Marie's tray of food and watched her take a few spoonfuls of soup as Remy talked about the last time he was sick.

Remy watched the way Logan looked at Marie as she ate and cleared his throat, "Alright then...I'mma head out."

Marie waved weakly. She was too exhausted and too sick to really notice the potential drama of the situation, "Thanks for checkin' in."

Logan followed Remy into the hall, "Hey uh...if you wanted to stay and talk with her, I can make myself scarce or something. I know she enjoys your company and it would probably make her feel better."

Remy sighed and forced a smile, "She seems to be enjoyin' your company just fine, wolf man. I don't do well 'round sick people anyways. I got the immune system of a newborn."

Remy turned and walked away without another word, leaving Logan to ponder the situation for a few minutes, then rejoin Marie in her room.

* * *

It took a couple of days, but eventually, Marie's nose stopped running like a faucet and her chest stopped rattling like an old Buick engine. Logan helped nurse her back to health, making sure she took her antibiotics and stayed fed, hydrated and entertained when she felt too ill to leave her room. He even subbed for a couple of her classes.

Marie had clearly been opening herself back up to Logan since the night he confessed that he was "just friends" with Storm...and Remy knew it.

It was the the evening of the fundraiser and a beautiful, large event tent had been erected on the expansive front lawn of the mansion. Inside of the tent, beautifully decorated tables surrounded a hardwood dance floor and buffet tables. Marie sat down at one of the faculty tables and watched as people trickled into the tent.

Remy walked in and made a beeline for her. He gently pulled her from her chair by her hand and twirled her around, "My my petit fleur...if you ain't the prettiest thang here..."

She blushed softly, "Thanks Remy. You look pretty great yourself."

"Might you favor me with a dance, cher?"

Marie hesitated. She knew her feelings for Logan were coming back and she didn't want to give him false hope.

Remy caught her look and began gently pulling her toward the dance floor, "Just have a lil' fun with the gumbo gambler."

She began dancing with him, "Look, Remy...I know I keep tellin' you about Logan, but I can't keep carryin' on with you like this..."

Remy slowed their movements and looked into her eyes, "Cher...just give it more time..."

She took a deep breath as her eyes began watering. Marie looked around quickly and cleared her throat before prying herself away from him, "I'm sorry...I have to go."

She ran out of the tent and into the mansion. Remy followed close behind her as she ran into an office and leaned against the desk, crying and nearly hyperventilating.

He shut the door behind them and approached her slowly, "Marie..."

"No! I'm a horrible person! You shouldn't be nice to me! I know he may not be the best choice, but I can't let him go Remy...if I choose you, I know you'll be lookin' over your shoulder for the rest of our lives together. I'm so sorry Remy...I'm terrible."

He gently turned her around to look at him, "Don't be like that, cher...you been honest since the beginnin'. It's my fault for fallin' for ya."

"You've done so much for me Remy...you've been here for me when I had no one."

He nodded, "I just want you to be happy petit fleur. More than anything else, that's all I've ever wanted. I really do care for you."

Remy pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead...then her cheek. Before she knew it, he had begun kissing her passionately. She responded to the kiss, running her hands through his hair as he backed her up against the desk behind her.

He quickly pulled up the fabric of her satin dress up and sat her on the desk, but Marie stopped him, "Remy...we can't..."

"I know this won't change nothin' love...just one more time before I lose you forever...please baby."

Marie's body answered for her as he began kissing and suckling at her neck. She moaned in consent as Remy yanked open his pants and quickly entered her, eliciting a lust filled moan.

He whispered her name and fucked her fervently...knowing it would be his last time inside of her. After several minutes, her body began bucking against his as she wrapped her arms around him.

He gritted his teeth as he came, resting his forehead against hers as he finished releasing himself inside of her.

They panted loudly as he pulled from her and kissed her lovingly before leaving the room.

Marie was careful to not get any of their "juices" on her dress as she rushed back to her room to wash up. When she finally rejoined the party, Logan was there, cleaned up and wearing his suit.

He made his way to her, "You look amazing...I knew the dress would suit you."

Marie smiled uneasily, "Well, you look handsome too."

If Logan had bothered to sniff past her perfume and the smells of delicious catered food in the air, he would have smelled Remy's scent on her skin and leaking from within her.

* * *

Three days after the fundraiser, Marie took Logan up on his date offer and allowed him to take her to dinner at a fancy restaurant.

He took her to a high priced French restaurant, hoping to impress her with his new found knowledge of etiquette.

Logan raised his eyebrows as she pulled her antibiotics from her bag, "I thought you were better, kid. How much longer you gotta take those?"

She shrugged, "Just a couple more days. Hank says it's to make sure the infection doesn't come back or something."

They both enjoyed their dinner and even went walking afterwards. He even bought them a ride on a horse drawn carriage. During their ride, Logan kissed her cheek, "I wanna thank you for giving me another chance, Marie. God knows I don't deserve it...but I promise you I won't hurt you like that ever again. I've buried the women from my past...once and for all. No more excuses."

When they returned to the mansion, she made him wait in the bedroom as she got ready for him in the bathroom. Marie emerged wearing nothing but one of his flannel shirts...just the way he liked.

Logan immediately grabbed her by her waist and threw her down on the bed, attacking her mouth with his own. He ripped the shirt open, not caring that it was his as buttons flew across the room. She giggled playfully as he kissed and nipped at her breasts, growling gently against her skin. It had been so long...too long.

He trailed kisses down her belly to the entrance to her sex. She arched her back and cried out as he dipped and swirled his tongue, making her shudder and shiver in uncontrolled pleasure.

Logan loved hearing her moan his name when he was going down on her. It was half of the fun.

When he had provided enough torturous ecstasy, he kissed his way back up her body and entered her quickly, crying out at the tightness of her pussy, "Damn I missed you baby."

She scratched at his back and hooked her ankles together behind his ass as he fucked her into the mattress. He eventually rolled him over and rode him, rolling her hips as he gripped onto her waist to help control their pace.

It wasn't long before Marie threw her head back and cried out, cumming hard. Logan was close behind, roaring at the intensity of his climax.

She collapsed on top of him and panted as she rested her head on his chest. He smiled and rubbed her back, kissing the top of her head, "I love you, Marie."

* * *

**Drama, drama, drama! There's a lot more where that came from! Reviews please people!**


	25. Three's a Crowd

Remy was as cordial as he could possibly be, but Marie could tell that being around her and Logan bothered him, so they both gave him plenty of space. Even Logan was nice to him...he felt bad for the guy. Marie was a great girl and it would suck to lose her.

For a while, everything was peaceful. Then Logan bought Storm flowers for helping him win Marie's heart back and Marie caught them hugging.

Marie's confidence in Logan's ability to remain faithful to her had been shaken to the core by his stay in Japan, so it was understandable that she didn't really trust him. She gave him the cold shoulder for a good two days, but then grew embarrassed by her attitude and apologized for her bitchy behavior, blaming it on her students.

Logan had noticed a random, erratic shift in her attitude lately...kind of like she was bipolar. She literally went from crying one minute to screaming at him the next. She'd thrown his alarm clock at his head one morning because he accidentally set in an hour too early. If he didn't have his healing factor, he would have been afraid of her.

* * *

**Six weeks after the fundraiser**

Marie walked into the kitchen and covered her nose and mouth, scowling at the offending smell that permeated through the air, "Good Lord! What is that?"

Kurt waved his tail and smiled, "It is bratwurst and sauerkraut. Just like mother used to make."

Marie tried to backtrack and force a smile, "Oh great...that's...nice."

He lifted a sausage out of the pot, "Would you like to try some?"

Marie gagged a bit and covered her mouth, vigorously shaking her head before running from the room. She'd never considered herself an international foods connoisseur, but she didn't usually vomit just because of smells. She'd once spent the entire day cooped up in a hot kitchen while her mother cooked collard greens and chitterlings and never even blinked an eye...it was the smelliest meal in the world.

From that day on, she steered clear of the kitchen whenever she heard that Kurt was cooking, but it didn't matter.

A week later, Marie had the misfortune of walking into the kitchen as Storm and Remy were preparing a seafood feast for the staff. It was all of her favorite foods...oysters, crab, shrimp and clams.

Again, she was booking it in the other direction. Remy followed and stood outside of the bathroom door, "Hey...ya alright in there?"

When she finally emerged she stayed a few feet away from him, "Could you just...take a step back? You smell just like that...ugh...food."

He obliged, but laughed a little, "I thought you said seafood was your favorite food."

"It was...it is...I just haven't been having an easy time with smells. I'm sorry, I gotta go brush my teeth."

Marie rushed off as Remy stared after her with concern in his eyes. A panic began roiling within him, but he quickly got it under control. In every movie he had seen, if the heroine was pregnant, she would end up doing exactly what Marie had just done...randomly run to the bathroom and throw up.

* * *

"Professor Rogue?"

Rogue jumped in her desk chair and sat up, clearing her throat. She had fallen asleep in her classroom again between classes, "Sorry about that. Come on in...take your seats..."

Marie couldn't seem to get enough sleep lately. Even if she slept 9+ hours at night, she'd find herself in desperate need of a nap by the time 3pm rolled around.

After her classes that day, she tried to make it a point to go down to the gym for a workout. She got her gym clothes on and decided to lay down on the bed for just a few minutes.

An hour later, Logan found her curled up on the bed, sleeping peacefully in her gym clothes and sneakers. He smiled as he took off her shoes and covered her up before leaning down and kissing her cheek.

* * *

Another week later, it finally dawned on her that she had missed her period. After her last class of the day, she rushed out behind her students toward the exist of the mansion. Logan caught up to her and grabbed her from behind, wrapping his hands around her waist, "Where you goin', beautiful?"

Marie panicked internally. She didn't want him to know...not yet.

She forced a smile, "Just runnin' out to the store."

"Great. I'll go with you."

"NO!" she almost screamed.

Logan gave her an odd look as she tried to recompose herself and lower her voice, "No...I just wanted to make a stop at a couple of girly stores and I don't want you trailing behind looking like I shot your puppy and making me feel bad while I shop."

He kissed her cheek, but the suspicious look remained on his face, "Ok kid...if you say so. Try to be back before the game...you know I hate it when I have to recap the first quarter for you. Oh...and can you pick up a six pack of Molson's?"

Remy had watched the exchange from the doorway of the rec room and noticed Marie's jumpy demeanor. When Logan turned around, he motioned toward the door she had just exited from, "What's goin' on with her?"

Logan shrugged, "I wish I knew."

Remy let out a breath and murmured, "She sure has been actin' strange lately..."

* * *

Marie loitered around the mall to kill time and bought herself some perfume that didn't make her nauseous before going to the grocery store to buy her pregnancy test and Logan's six pack.

Before walking into the mansion, she stuffed the pregnancy test into her purse. Marie was surprised to find Bobby, Piotr, Remy and Logan sitting together, watching the football game.

Logan glanced at her and smiled, "Hey babe, enjoy your shopping trip?"

Marie nodded uneasily, "Yea..."

"Come on, take a load off. Watch the game with us."

Marie handed Bobby the beers so he could chill them before turning back to Logan, "Ya know...I'm not really in the mood. I'm just gonna go up to the room and grade some papers. I'm really behind."

"It's Monday Night Football, kid! You don't miss these match-ups!"

She laughed uneasily and leaned over to kiss Logan on the lips, "I'll catch the highlights on SportsCenter tomorrow."

With that, she left, waving to everyone else in the room.

Ten minutes later, after rereading the directions on the test for the fifteenth time, she was peeing on a stick. She stared at herself in the mirror and fought the urge to hyperventilate.

"It's ok...I might not be pregnant...I'm probably just sick. Maybe I have the flu...that'd be awesome. I'm on birth control anyways..."

She stared down at the test as the word "Pregnant" flashed across the digital readout. Marie must have forgotten how to breath for a second, because she started feeling lightheaded.

She sat down on the bed, gripping the test in one head and repeatedly smacking herself in the head with the other, "Stupid stupid stupid! How in the hell did this happen? I don't even know whose baby it is..."

Marie paced the room, staring down at the pregnancy test as she thought about her options. She'd always wanted a baby and couldn't, in good conscience, get an abortion.

Adoption was definitely not an option for a child who, more than likely, would be a mutant.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Logan entering the room. She quickly hid the pregnancy test behind her back and smiled, "Sup baby? Halftime already?"

"No, I was just comin' up to see if you needed help on your..." Logan stopped and cocked his head to the side, "What are you hiding behind your back?"

She tried to control her facial expression as she answered quickly, "Nothin'!"

He tried to step behind her, but she quickly stepped away and maneuvered her body so that they were still standing face to face.

This made him even more suspicious, "Marie, what the hell are you hiding?"

"Logan-"

"Look, kid, you've been acting strange for weeks and I'm not really able to put my finger on it, but somethin's up. You can tell me now or later...but eventually I'm gonna find out, so spill."

Marie took a deep breath and looked down, bringing the pregnancy test from behind her back, "I'm pregnant..."

After Logan took the test in his hand, he sat down on the edge of the bed and stared down on it, allowing the word "Pregnant" to sear into his mind. He glanced back up at her, "How long have you...when did it...I thought you were..."

Somehow, she knew every single question he was asking. How long had she known, when did it happen and I thought you were on birth control. She decided to approach two of the three posed issues, "I thought I might be starting a couple of weeks ago...I am on birth control. I don't know what happened."

He looked back up to her, "You didn't do this behind my back...on purpose, did you?"

Marie gave him a look of anger and shock, "Are you fuckin' kiddin' me? How could you even ask me somethin' like that?"

Logan stood, "Shit...I'm sorry, kid. I don't even know why I said that. I'm sorry. I'm just panicking here. I don't really know...this is really unexpected. I mean, I knew we'd have a baby eventually, but I just thought I'd have time to get used to-"

She cut him off, "You wanted to have baby with me?"

"Well, yea. I wouldn't have begged you to come back to me if I wasn't willing to give you what you wanted."

She put a hand on her stomach and closed her eyes, sitting down on her bed, "Oh god...oh god...this is all wrong...this is so so wrong."

He ran a hand through his hair and glanced back down on the pregnancy test. _Yep. Still says she's pregnant._

Logan sat next to her and rubbed her back, "I know it's not the right timing, kid...but we'll deal. I'm sorry about not really knowing what to say, but it's just a little surprise, that's all."

Marie shook her head as tears began to fall, "It's not that...I just...I think I should go find Hank...I need to talk to him about all this."

Logan nodded and stood with her, clearly concerned over the tears she was shedding, "You want me to come with?"

"No...you go finish watching the game."

He kissed her forehead and almost laughed, "I don't think I'll be able to concentrate on a damn football game, kid."

She wiped at her eyes and smiled sadly, "I'll be fine. It won't take long."

He nodded and left reluctantly.

Ten minutes later, Marie rushed into the med lab to find Hank sitting in front of a computer. He was always studying something.

"Good evening, Rogue. You look a bit pale, is everything alright?"

She shook her head as more tears threatened to pour forth, "No...I'm pregnant."

Hank raised both brows and paused before he began stuttering, "Wow, well...congratulations."

"It's not like that...I am in full fuckin' panic mode! I can't...this is...oh god..."

She started hyperventilating, but Hank quickly led her to the examination table and sat her down, "Calm down...calm down."

She did after a few moments, but the panic that twisted her gut remained at the surface. Marie wiped at her eyes and sniffled, "I need your help."

He nodded and patted her shoulder, "Of course. Proper prenatal care is the key to a healthy baby."

Marie looked down and shook her head, "It's more than that. It's...I don't know who the father of my baby is."

She was humiliated. It sounded worse when it was said aloud to someone else. Hank just looked at her, "Remy and Logan, right?"

Marie nodded, "First Remy...three days later...Logan."

Hank took a deep breath, "Oh dear...I'm afraid there's no way I can tell if it was that close together."

She ran a hand through her hair, "How did this happen? I was on birth control."

"When was your last period?"

"Um...first week of September, I think."

Hank went to his computer and typed in somethings, "Oh my. That was the week of the fundraiser...you had that sinus infection."

"Yea, so?"

"Do you remember when you came to me for treatment and I asked you whether you were on any medications?"

"Um...yea, I think so."

"Rogue, you told me you weren't. The reason why I asked you that was because the antibiotic I gave you decreases the effectiveness of certain medications...medications like birth control."

She let the information sink in and cursed under her breath.

Hank examined her and performed an ultrasound, during which, Marie saw something that looked like a kidney bean, but Hank claimed it was her baby. By the time she went back to her room, Logan was there. She needed to tell him before he got too attached to the idea of being a father because, as of now, there was a 50% chance he wasn't.

He kissed her, "I know this is something you really want and I want it for us. I don't wanna fuck up again, kid. I want us to be a family." She stammered, but was unable to say anything of true meaning as he laughed and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "I know it's kinda outta character for me to say shit like this."

She decided to wait a little bit to tell him so that they could both properly get used to the fact that she was pregnant. She didn't want to tell Remy yet...she was nervous about the giant can of worms that telling everyone the truth would open.

* * *

She was able to keep her secret for nearly two weeks. In the meantime, she grew more and more self conscious about her pregnancy symptoms and her nonexistent belly.

During one evening in particular, while Logan was out picking up pizza and wings for a planned faculty game night, Remy ran into Marie in the kitchen. He smiled politely, "Good evenin' petit fleur. You comin' to game night, right?"

Marie nodded, "Yep. Just comin' in to get drinks and start settin' up."

"Then how 'bout a lil pre-partyin' with Gambit?"

She shook her head and politely declined, but he persisted, "Come on beautiful, I ain't ever known you to refuse a good drink."

Marie smiled and tried to change the subject, "You know everyone's on their way back with the food. We should go get the rec room ready."

She tried to rush past him, but he reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her body back to his. He looked down into her eyes with an expression of hurt and uncertainty, "I had my suspicions...but I at least thought you would tell me 'fore I had to figure it out myself."

Her body shook within his embrace, "What are you talkin' bout Remy?"

Remy sighed, clearly disappointed in her. He let the back of his index finger brush past her lips, down her neck, down her breasts then rested his hand on her belly, "All the nausea, the exhaustion, the trips down to the medlab...the refusal to drink. I know you're pregnant."

Marie took a deep breath and closed her eyes, moving his hand away from her belly as she turned around, "God...Remy..."

He was silent for a long time before approaching her from behind, "Are you havin' my baby?"

* * *

**Who's the daddy? lol! Review please!**


	26. Game Changer

**Medical Note: A reviewer did mention that there is a CVS test (or Chorionic Villus Sampling test) that can be done to determine paternity. I happen to know, however, that these tests are not done JUST to test for paternity. This is an invasive test that is done to detect genetic disorders, defects and chromosomal anomalies.**..**not simply to determine paternity. There are one of two ways to perform these tests: vaginally, or via a needle through the abdomen (similar to an amniocentesis). If you do get the procedure, there is a slight chance of miscarriage or infection, which, is why most doctors will not perform the test just to determine paternity and instead reserves it to test for more pressing matters (i.e. genetic disorders, defects, etc.). To most, the risk to the pregnancy is just not worth taking if they are just looking to answer the "baby daddy" question. The test is generally reserved for women 35 or older, couples who already have children with genetic/birth defects or women with other abnormal test results.  
**

**My sister happens to be a doctor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and she told me that in her ten years of practice, she has never performed the test on a patient solely because of paternity because of the risks involved with testing. A doctor's consent is required for this test (obviously, because it needs to be performed by a doctor!). I also have a one year old baby boy. During my pregnancy, I had to have an amniocentesis (which can also be used to establish paternity) because my Perinatologist needed to make sure my son's lungs were properly functioning.**

**So there! That is why the drama HAS to continue until the baby is born. I'm not ignoring the rules of modern science...I do it sometimes, but not this time!  
**

* * *

She was silent for so long, he had to ask her again, "Marie, are you carryin' my baby?"

Marie was relieved when people started filing through the door with pizza, beer and wings.

Remy had to fight the joy that crept into his heart at the prospect of Marie carrying his baby. He had never stopped wanting her, and probably never would...maybe the baby was fate. Maybe it would be the perfect way to get her back.

That entire night, Remy was so preoccupied thinking about what it might be like to have a baby with Marie that he cost his team the Pictionary win.

Marie spent most of the night trying to avoid his eyes and keep Logan distracted from Remy's intense gaze.

That evening, as Marie got ready for bed, Logan stared at her thoughtfully. She noticed and smiled, "What's on that mind of yours?"

He shrugged, "Nothin'. Just not likin' the way Remy was staring at you tonight."

"You won Logan...you got me. What more do you want? It's a free country babe. He can look, but not touch, right?"

Logan grunted as he sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled off his boots.

She walked up to him and put her hands on his shoulders, "You trust me, right baby?"

He smiled and put his hands on her waist, pulling her to him as he opened her shirt and unbuttoned her jeans. She giggled softly as he kissed laid a lingering kiss on her lower abdomen. He looked up at her as he pulled her jeans and panties off of her hips, "You've made me very happy, kid."

He slowly trailed kisses across her belly as he reached between her legs and began caressing her soft folds. Marie shuddered and gripped onto his shoulders as she watched him unbuckle his pants with the other hand.

She jumped slightly when he inserted his finger, expertly stroking in and out of her as she moaned his name. Logan pulled her pants all the way down and helped her step out of them as he gently pulled her onto the bed, laying on top of her.

Marie nipped at his lips as he gripped the underside of her thigh and raised her leg around his waist, entering her in one swift movement. She arched her back and yanked his shirt off of his shoulders, scratching at his skin with her fingernails.

If only she could stay like this forever, all would be well. There would be no worry about her baby's paternity...she could just lose herself in orgasm after orgasm.

* * *

Marie couldn't get away with avoiding Remy for long. Two days later, he walked into her classroom as she was busy cleaning off the chalkboard.

"Afternoon professor..." he said as he sauntered in.

Marie abruptly stopped cleaning the board and closed her eyes as she cursed silently. She slowly turned around to face Remy, who had made his way to the front of the class and was sitting on the top of the desk closest to the front.

She dropped the eraser, "What's up, Remy?"

"Cut the bull, Marie. Is this baby mine?"

She took a deep breath. For a moment, she thought about lying to him, but she would have some explaining to do if she gave birth to a baby whose eyes turned red during a temper tantrum.

"I don't know."

Remy looked down and ran a hand through his hair, "I'm guessin' you haven't told the wolf man yet it might not be his, huh?"

She shook her head and sat at her desk, "I will though...just please don't tell Logan."

"Don't tell me what?" came Logan's voice through classroom door Remy had stupidly left open.

Marie's breath hitched in her throat as she looked at Logan, who crossed his arms and eyed them both suspiciously. Both of them stood as Marie spoke, "Um...we can talk about it later."

Logan could tell they were hiding something and he didn't appreciate the fact that her ex boy toy was getting cozy with her in her empty classroom, "No kid...we need to talk about it now. What the hell were you two talking about?"

Marie looked at Remy, who crossed his arms and glanced back at her. It was now or never and dammit...didn't she wish it was never.

"It's about the baby..." she whispered.

Logan's brows furrowed in concern, "Everything ok?"

"No...just not in the way you think it's not ok..." She paused as she glanced back at Remy and took a deep breath before continuing, "There's a chance that you're not my baby's father."

Logan flinched as the verbal blow sunk in. He looked down and took a few deep breaths to try to calm himself, but as soon as he looked at Remy, he lost it. He heard Marie scream "Logan no!" as he rushed the cajun, who pulled out his handy deck of cards and sent them flying into Logan's chest, causing him to sail across the room and crash against the wall.

Marie rushed between the two as Logan stood, snarling and growling. He had left a huge hole in the wall from his impact. She yelled, "Stop it! Logan! It was right before you and I got back together! It wasn't Remy's fault!"

Logan shot her a look before turning his angry gaze back to Remy, who held a card in his hand, ready to fight, "Bull shit! He knew you were gonna come back to me and he did the only thing he could to try to keep you!"

Marie put her hands on her hips, "Brilliant. He planned for me to end up with a sinus infection and get on antibiotics that will render my birth control ineffective so that he could get me pregnant...Magneto better move over, we have the real mastermind right here."

"How the fuck am I supposed to react to this?"

Remy spoke up, "She didn't do anything wrong, wolf man."

Logan unsheathed a claw and pointed it at Remy, "No one was talkin' to you, gumbo."

"Logan! Put the claw away...Remy...could you give us a minute?"

Remy crossed his arms, "I don't feel comfortable leavin' you alone with this animal."

Logan snarled, "Wanna know how much of an animal I can be, get your pretty lil face over here..."

"Logan!" Marie stomped her foot for emphasis, causing him to lower the intensity of his glare on Remy slightly. She turned her attention back to the ragin' cajun, who seemed just as ready to pounce as the other man, "Remy, he's not gonna hurt me...now would you please give us a moment alone?"

Remy's red eyes slowly faded back to their normal, chocolatey brown hue as he stared at her long and hard before walking from the room. When the classroom door was closed, Marie turned back to Logan, "I understand that this is not the greatest news in the world, but did you have to try to attack him like that?"

"Now you're defending him!"

She raised her voice, "I'm not defending anyone!"

Logan turned away and roughly ran both hands through his hair, "I can't fuckin' believe this...I was actually looking forward to this baby and you go and tell me you might be carrying that swamp rat's offspring."

Marie glared and crossed her arms, "Look Logan, I don't expect you to be happy about this situation, but if you want to be with me, you're gonna eventually have to learn to love this baby even if it isn't yours...I expect you to love me enough to love my child."

She brushed past him and left the room, leaving Logan to think about how he would handle the situation.

Remy caught up to her as she walked to her room, "Marie...you alright?"

She stopped walking and looked at him as she fiddled with the sleeves of her shirt, "This is turning into a huge nightmare."

He felt a little offended at that statement. Would having his kid over Logan's be _that_ bad?

Marie caught the look on his face and put a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry Remy, I didn't mean it like that. It's just...I never thought I'd end up caught up in a situation like this. Situations like this are exactly why I was on birth control."

He took a step closer and rubbed her shoulders as he looked down into her eyes, "Regardless of whose baby this is, you're experiencin' one of nature's most amazin' miracles. The only thing you really need to be worryin' bout is that lil' one you got growin' in there."

She took a step back as he started to lean in, "Thank you, Remy...but I gotta go."

He watched her walk down the hallway to her room and enter, closing the door behind her.

Although Marie had chosen Logan, the baby she carried had proven to be a major game changer for all three of them.


	27. Take a Chance on Me

Marie and Logan's relationship had been a little rocky since he found out about her baby's unknown paternity, but he tried to look past his own discomfort with the situation to prove that he could be there for her...but every time he got close to her, he imagined the swamp rat touching her. Sometimes, he thought he could even smell him on her.

He had even stopped in the middle of one of their heated love making sessions because he kept picturing Remy touching her. Marie thought his avoidance of being intimate with her was because he didn't like her rapidly changing figure. Obviously, that wasn't the case, but Logan was being too much of a guy and too wrapped up in his jealousy to notice her self esteem issues.

Logan hated the way the cajun looked at her and how "helpful" he was when he wasn't around. He fantasized about punching him in the face on a regular basis, but for Marie's sake, he didn't. Logan was trying his hardest to hold onto the hope that Marie's baby was his...then, he could be completely sure that she would be too.

* * *

**19 Weeks Pregnant**

Marie stood in the mirror, trying to button her pants over her rounded belly. She felt like she had started showing overnight and her unsuspecting size 4 wardrobe was completely unprepared for her brand new plus one.

A shopping trip was in order.

Marie walked down the hall as Kitty rounded the corner with her daughter, Selena, on her hip. Marie wished Kitty wasn't a size zero...she would have been able to borrow her maternity clothes.

"Hey Rogue, how's it going?"

Marie shrugged, "You know how you told me one day I would wake up and I not fit any of my clothes?"

"Oh no...I'm sorry. Off to the mall?"

Marie nodded, "Yea. Do you and doll face wanna come with?"

Kitty frowned, "No, sorry. I'm just about to put her down for a nap."

After saying her goodbyes to Selena and Kitty, Marie began to walk out to the garage. Logan was busy in the Danger Room and she was pretty sure Jubilee was somewhere underneath Colossus, so she figured she would be fine to go by herself.

Just before she reached the garage, Remy jogged up behind her, calling her name.

She turned around as she was looking through her purse to make sure she had her wallet, "What's up?"

"Where ya headin' petit fleur?"

She scoffed, "I ain't so petit anymore...which is why I'm headin' to the mall to get some clothes to cover up my newly fattened ass."

He shook his head and smiled that mischievous smile she as so fond of, "Your ass ain't fat beautiful...it's pregnant. Want some company?"

Marie paused for a moment and eyed him, knowing Logan wouldn't like that, but Remy was her friend and if the baby was his, he needed to get used to them spending time together. She nodded, "Alright..."

When they reached the mall, they went on a modern day, adult scavenger hunt in an attempt to find the maternity store. After finding it, she collected a couple of armfuls of clothes and wandered off to the fitting room with her surprisingly patient "friend" in tow. Remy leaned against the wall outside of the curtain she was changing behind.

He peeked through the curtain and watched her undress, sighing at the sight of her half naked beauty. Without turning around, she spoke abruptly, "Eyes off, LeBeau."

Remy chuckled as he turned away, "You look good with the belly...suits ya."

Marie snatched the curtain back as she emerged in a v neck, long sleeved shirt and new jeans with a "belly band". She sighed and kept turning around, silently criticizing her body, "Holy shit...it's like I grew an extra ass overnight."

Remy rolled his eyes and threw his hands in the air, clearly frustrated, "I wish you would stop bein' so damned hard on yourself! You've never looked more beautiful than you do now."

She smiled shyly and looked down at herself, "Really?"

He nodded, "Bein' pregnant suits you petit fleur."

She turned back to her reflection and raised a brow, "Thanks Remy..."

After Marie had stocked up on enough clothes for her temporary wardrobe, they headed to the bookstore, then to lunch at a nearby restaurant. When they returned to the mansion, Piotr walked up to her, "Hey, where have you been? Logan said he was trying to reach you on your cell."

Marie yanked her purse off her shoulder and started rummaging through her bag. She pulled out her phone and rolled her eyes, "Shit...I left it on silent. Is something wrong?"

"Some newly elected hot shot senator from Alabama is pushing for another vote on the Mutant Registration Act and he's gained a lot of support, so the professor, Storm, Hank and Logan took the jet down to DC to see if they can meet with the president."

"Oh...did they say when they'd be back?"

Piotr shrugged before walking away, "Not long...just a couple of days."

Although he was concerned about the Mutant Registration Act, Remy couldn't help but smile at the news of Logan's absence.

That evening, after she had put on her pajamas and prepared for a relaxing evening of reading her newly purchased book, Remy knocked on her door and invited her down to the living room to watch a movie.

She agreed, but halfway through the movie, found herself to be in need of a snack. Remy stopped the movie and led her to the kitchen, allowing her to relax as he made her a sandwich.

They made small talk until she jumped slightly and put a hand on her belly, gasping. Remy dropped everything and was around the island, at her side in two seconds, "Somethin' wrong? What is it?"

Marie's open mouth bent into a smile as she stared down at her belly, "It moved...I felt it move once a week or so ago...or I thought I did, but I definitely felt it that time! Come here." She grabbed his hand and placed it on her belly.

After several quiet moments, he felt a tiny, extremely light nudge against the palm of his hand. Remy sucked in a deep breath and stuttered in surprise, "Wow..."

Marie smiled and caressed her belly, "Gonna be an active one, huh?"

He stared at her in sheer adoration and nodded wordlessly before whispering, "May I...feel again?"

She leaned against the island and nodded as he put his hand back on her belly. They stared into each others eyes for a moment before he slowly leaned in and kissed her. Marie put a hand on his chest and pushed gently, "No Remy..."

He stopped and took a deep breath as he gently rubbed her cheek, looking into her eyes, "I want this baby to be mine...more than you know."

Marie's bottom lip trembled as she looked down. Tears threatened to spill onto her cheeks when she looked back up into his eyes, "I really care about you-"

"But you chose Logan...I know." Remy started to walk out of the kitchen, but he stopped and turned back around, "You wanna know what kills me?" There was a long pause as he ran a hand through his hair and shook his head, "For the next four months, you're gonna have to beg him to go to every single doctor's appointment, Lamaze class or baby shoppin' excursion...hell, he'll probably throw a shit fit if you ask him to go to the baby shower...but I'd go with fuckin' bells on. I'd fuckin' host a shower for you if you wanted. You'd never have to ask me to massage your back or rub your belly because I want to do all those things for you. I want to be there for you and this baby."

Marie wiped at her eyes, "Remy, he's not the total jackass you make him out to be. He's not perfect but he's been there for me."

"Come on girl! Wake up! He's a macho man who cares about himself more than he does you or that baby...especially if it isn't his! You don't think that if you ask him to take you to a doctor's appointment, he's not thinking, 'hey...maybe I can get outta goin' cause, hell, it might not be my baby'?"

She looked down. Those thoughts had haunted her constantly and now, his repeating them terrified her. Remy rushed over and took her hands, "If this is my baby, I wanna be there for the important moments. I'm gonna be there for you and this baby whether that animal likes it or not."

Marie took a deep breath and nodded. She couldn't refuse that, nor could she deny him that. He deserved to be apart of her pregnancy and she needed the support...since she was unsure about Logan's ability to provide it.

* * *

**Help me make it to 200 reviews! :-)**


	28. The Rules of Competition

**Special thanks to Princeskarlita411 for being my 200th reviewer for this fic! No other fic I've written has ever gotten this many reviews, so thank you to ALL of you guys for continuing to read!**

* * *

When Logan returned, Marie called a "meeting" in order to discuss the rules and regulations regarding their interactions during her pregnancy. As Logan and Remy sat on her bed, they eyed each other warily before she snapped her fingers to bring their attention back up front.

"There'll be none of that in here boys...eyes up front."

They obediently and reluctantly looked at her, "What's this about, kid?"

She fidgeted a little, "We've all had a little time to get used to...our situation and I feel like we should probably set up some ground rules."

"Great...the cajun keeps his hands off of you. Nuff said...we done here?" Logan said as he stood.

"Sit!" Marie snapped.

Logan rolled his eyes and plopped back down onto the bed as she continued, "Our situation isn't very conventional, but that doesn't mean that either of you should be deprived of any of the experiences a father to be should have."

Remy smirked as Logan sputtered, "What the hell does that mean?"

Remy stared at Marie for a moment, "I think she's tellin' you that she thinks I should be able to spend a lil time with her."

"What? Why?" Logan said as he stood again, looking back and forth between Remy and Marie.

Marie put a hand on his shoulder, "This baby could be his and there are a lot of important moments he wants to be there for."

Logan snarled and glared at Remy. The bastard had one upped him...he knew he would never want to go to birthing classes, crib shopping or baby showers. Since when do the pussy whipped men start winning?

"She needs support wolf man...support your pride ain't gonna allow you to give her."

Logan narrowed his eyes, "Shut up, crawfish."

"This is another thing...the arguing has to stop. I am already tired, achey and moody...the last thing I wanna do is play referee during your sword fights. I know you're not gonna be bosom buddies, but dammit, you two better learn how to be decent to one another. Remy, you cut down on the snarkiness, and Logan...quit with the name callin'."

The two men nodded slightly as Marie clasped her hands together, "Logan, I know you're a lil territorial, but I'm gonna spend time with him. When the baby comes and we find out who the father is, we'll all have to work together to make sure he or she is always surrounded by love."

The two men inadvertently mumbled "she" in unison, causing them to shoot each other a look. It seems as though they both had an inkling that they would soon have another girl to fight over.  


* * *

They were proven wrong at her ultrasound. Logan was apprehensive about going at first, but when Remy bounded into the room and excitedly asked Marie if she was ready to leave yet, Logan found himself offering to drive. _Take that, French Quarter._

The doctor was a mutant and a former student of the professor. Like Marie, she had a power that was activated by touch, and also like Marie, the professor had to train her to use it properly. The way her powers differed in Marie's was that she could act as a channel, taking on other mutant's powers and temporarily bestow them to another when she touched them.

She and Marie had bonded instantly over horror stories of their previously uncontrolled powers and became fast friends as a result. Luckily, she knew about Marie's situation and didn't blink an eye when both Remy and Logan showed up at the office with her for the appointment.

On their way out, Marie pulled out her cell phone. She had promised to call Jubilee and Kitty as soon as she found out. When they answered the phone, all she said was, "blue".

Logan could imagine them springing into action like some sort of crazy lady covert ops team, ordering all sorts of frou frou baby shit to destroy some room in the mansion with for Marie's baby shower.  


* * *

A few weeks later, Marie sat on the bed in front of an open catalog, trying to pick out the bedding she liked for the baby's crib. Logan had wrapped a towel around his waist and was walking back into the room after taking a shower. She tossed a catalog at him, "Come on, I need help picking out the baby's bedding."

Logan caught the catalog and raised a confused eyebrow before tossed the catalog back on the bed, "Uh...I think you got that handled, kid."

She let out an exasperated sigh, "Come on. There's a lot of super cute stuff and I'm havin' a hard time choosin'!"

Logan smirked and removed his towel. She rolled her eyes, "What are you doin'?"

He crawled onto the bed and playfully nipped at her neck before kissing it softly, "Reminding you that I'm a man."

Marie wanted to yell at him and tell him to get his head out of his ass so that he could participate in something baby related, but her overactive hormones just made her giggle and give in as he gently pushed her back on the bed and began to make love to her.

He laid soft kisses all over her body before she climbed atop him and pushed his erection inside of her. As she rolled her hips, he gripped onto her thighs and arched his back, moaning her name loudly.

When they came, she laid on her side next to him, panting and glistening with sweat. He kissed her forehead and gently caressed her body. As the afterglow of her orgasm faded, she sighed and ran a hand through her hair before getting up and walking to the bathroom for a quick shower.

He could tell something was bugging her.

When she walked out, fully dressed, he was still in the bed, naked, "Somethin' wrong, kid?"

Marie shook her head at first, but slowly sat on the bed next to him. She mustered up enough courage to look into his eyes, "I need you to do more than this."

"More than what?"

"I need you to do more than fuck me and watch sports with me. It's fun and great, but I chose you Logan...regardless of the paternity of this baby, you're gonna have to be a dad of some sort and just fuckin' and watchin' sports ain't gonna cut it. When I chose you, I chose to depend on you for everything. The sex, the love, the emotional support...and you're startin' to make me feel like you can't give me everything."

Logan lowered his head and sighed. This was all Remy's fault with his sensitivity, overly involved baby planning and empathy, "I've been there for you emotionally."

"Absolutely darlin. Durin' a crisis, you've been top notch and I love and thank you for that...but what about everyday? What about when I need you to tell me that even though I look like I've swallowed a beach ball, I'm still beautiful? What about when I've had a rough day and all I want is someone to rub my feet and curl up in front of the television to watch a chick flick...without complaining? I need everyday support during this pregnancy and I'm definitely gonna need it after the baby gets here."

Logan bit his lip and nodded, seriously considering her words.  


* * *

Sleeping was proving to be more and more difficult as her pregnancy progressed. Laying on her back was no longer comfortable and sleeping on her stomach wasn't even an option. Her lower back was aching and she was starting to have heartburn every time she laid down, so she spent her nights wandering the halls or watching late night television in the den and living rooms.

She felt like punching Kitty in the face every time she mentioned how much she loved being pregnant, but she resolved herself to wait to punch Remy or Logan in the face as soon as she found out whose super sperm had done this to her. At times, she could swear that the baby was Logan's, but that was when she was cringing from powerful kicks. Every time she was with Remy, however, she felt that the baby was his, simply because of his connection to the him. He'd spent time talking to the baby, reading stories and massaging her belly and back.

Logan had touched her stomach only twice, which she secretly hated, especially since he had revealed that he had been fine with touching and talking to Itsu's belly. She figured (and hoped) it was because he was afraid of getting too attached to the baby in case it turned out to not be his.

It was the truth. He had already lost one child and he didn't want to lose another.

Logan walked in on Remy massaging Marie's lower back as she sat on the couch. She was moaning and murmuring, "Oh yea...that's it...god that's good."

Logan cleared his throat in hopes that Remy would stop pawing at her, but Marie didn't even turn around and Remy barely spared him a glance. She kept her head back as she let out another soft moan before finally speaking to him, "Sup Logan?"

He crossed his arms, "I was...ugh, do you have to keep doing that?"

Remy slowed his movements, but Marie spoke up, "Yes he does! My back is killin' me and unless you're gonna step up and do it, shush your mouth and let him keep goin'."

Logan sighed and looked around as Remy smirked at him, "S'ok if you need to keep ya reputation in tact wolf man."

Logan growled, "Move outta the way."

Marie smiled at Remy, "Thanks hon, you're a doll."

He gave her an innocent kiss on her temple and left. Logan took his place beside her on the couch and moved her hair off of her shoulder to kiss her neck before he began massaging her lower back.

Marie smiled over her shoulder at him, "You don't have to...someone can walk in at any moment."

Logan grumbled, "Shut it, kid. Enjoy your fuckin' massage."  


* * *

**Elsewhere...**

Magneto had found even more minions to call to his following once his powers had returned...one of his followers happened to be a young doctor...a former student of his old friend, Xavier.

She stood in front of Magneto as he questioned her, "And you are sure the child will be a Class 5 mutant?"

Dr. Anderson nodded, "Absolutely. His powers may even present themselves at birth."

Magneto raised a brow, "His? It's a boy?"

Dr. Anderson noddd, "She came in for an ultrasound a couple of weeks ago...she brought those two knuckleheads with her. At least one of them is always with her...it'll be hard to separate them."

Magneto's smile was more hopeful than sinister, "I've always wanted a son..."


	29. Preparing for the Unexpected

Dr. Anderson, or Samantha as she preferred to be called outside of the office, invited Marie to lunch claiming that she had a hard time making friends since moving back to the area. Marie agreed since she was in desperate need of expanding her girlfriend base. Kitty and Jubilee were busy with their own lives and their advice concerning her life was growing more subjective and repetitive.

Marie and Samantha sat chatting up a storm at a cafe down the street from the mansion.

Samantha took a sip of her lemonade, "So Logan and Remy huh? How many losers did you have to date before you hit the beefcake lottery?"

Marie stuttered slightly as she blushed, "No losers...I had a boyfriend named Bobby, then Logan...then" Her voice trailed off as she cleared her throat and looked down, remembering Victor. He had not been one of significant others, but his horrifying place in her past had greatly impacted her present and her relationships with the men in her life.

Samantha raised a brow, "You say that as if there's more to that story."

Marie took a deep breath, "It's not what you think...I was, um...attacked by a horrible man...well, I think he was more animal than man. Logan was there for me through that."

Samantha was taken aback at that revelation. Magneto had told her about her kidnapping at Alkali Lake, but she had no idea the girl had been raped. She was so young and vibrant.

As they continued to talk, Samantha couldn't help but admire the young woman who she and Magneto had been plotting against.

Immediately after her lunch with Marie, she arrived at Magneto's headquarters. She stomped through the metal plated corridor, calling his name. He floated down from the top level and smirked, "How did your lunch date go?"

She ran a hand through her hair, "I don't know if I can do this."

Magneto's eyebrows knitted in confusion, "My dear, we've been through this-"

Samantha threw her purse down, "No! We haven't! Did you know that she's been raped? She's been through enough in her life. How am I expected to steal her baby?"

Truth be told, Magneto didn't know about her attack, but he wasn't going to let that detail derail his plans. He placed a calm hand on Samantha's back, "It is a sad situation, yes...but if we must sacrifice her happiness for the survival of all mutants, then we will. Her child will be the first Class 5 mutant I've come across since Jean Grey."

"How are you so sure that what happened with Jean won't happen with this child?"

"I will raise this child myself and ensure he can keep his powers under control...besides...men are a bit easier to control than women are."

Samantha nodded reluctantly as Magneto patted her shoulder and walked away.  


* * *

Kitty and Jubilee were in full-on psycho baby shower planning mode. Per Marie's request _(see also: demands)_, it was to be a unisex baby shower with "real" food. In other words, she wanted a house party with baby presents.

Remy did as Marie asked and tried his best not to be so sarcastic with Logan and even stepped out of the way to give him the opportunity to bond with Marie and the baby.

He ran into Marie while she was eating toast cheddar, cream cheese and salsa in the kitchen one night. He cringed as he watched her take a bite, "That's quite a colorful combination ya got there petite fleur."

She smiled and moaned in satisfaction, "Mmm...delicious. Want some?"

He politely declined and sat next to her, "No thanks darlin'. What's got you up this evenin'...besides the crazy cravin's?"

She shrugged and pointed at her belly, "I'm gettin' beat up."

Remy laughed and reached over to smooth a hand over her stomach, "Aw...he prolly just needs a song or somethin' to calm him down."

Marie jumped and cringed, putting down her sandwich, "Oof...well, he needs somethin'. I feel like I'mma end up with bruises."

Both of Remy's eyebrows shot upwards when he felt the abrupt and strong bump against his hand, "Heh...that was a mighty powerful kick indeed. Come on...we'll calm 'em down."

Remy helped her up and led her to the library where she laid on the large leather couch that faced the fireplace. He sat on the floor in front of her and hummed a soft, southern lullaby near her belly.

His surprisingly lovely voice swirled around her, causing her to relax immediately as the rough movements within her began to slow.

Marie smiled contently and watched him for a moment before brushing some hair out of his eyes, "You know I love ya, right Remy?"

He flinched as if he'd been stung by a bee and turned his gaze back to her belly, "I know, but I wish you loved me more...I wished you loved me as much as I love you."

She took a deep, shivering breath. She wondered if she would fall deeper in love with him if the baby turned out to be his. The way he took care of her and communicated with him melted her heart and, at times, gave Logan a run for his money.

As the baby calmed, so did Marie. She fell into a light slumber as Remy watched over her. Logan walked into the room with his hands shoved into his pockets. He had come out of their room to find her when he realized that a cream cheese, salsa, cheddar sandwich shouldn't take that long to make and eat.

Remy and Logan's eyes met when he entered the room. The tension that crackled through the air was so palpable, Marie shifted and murmured something inaudible in her sleep as Remy slowly stood and walked past Logan, "You might wanna take her to bed."

The two had dozens of encounters like that. Sometimes they didn't even have to speak. They would simply silently regard each other or give each other nods from across the room.

It was the closest to "friendly" the two would ever be.

* * *

Logan took Marie to her birthing class partly because he knew if he didn't, the cajun would. The other reason he went was because of all of his years on the earth, he'd never been present for the birth of a child and was curious about what to expect. He wanted to make sure he had the tools to help her through, what promised to be, the most painful experience of her life.

Logan looked around the room at the group of hugely pregnant women and their nervous looking partners/husbands. He had carried a mat and pillow in and as soon as they entered the room, Marie was handed a booklet and told to pick a spot on the floor.

"The floor?" Logan repeated, a hint of concern coating his voice. Marie was almost 9 months pregnant...she wouldn't be sitting on anybody's damn floor if he had anything to say about it.

Marie patted his shoulder, "It's ok darlin'. That's what the mat and pillow is for."

He glanced around the room and watched as another expectant mother gingerly lowered herself to the mat. He quickly sprung into action, finding a prime spot in the middle of the room as he laid down the mat and fluffed the pillow.

When he had fluffed the pillow as much as he possibly could, he stood back up and helped Marie lower herself onto the mat. The instructor had ridiculously long hair that Logan was sure hadn't been cut since the 70's. Her long peasant skirt flowed around her as she walked to the front of the classroom with open arms, speaking in calm, soothing tones, "Welcome new mothers and fathers...you are about to embark on the most magical journey the earth has ever seen...you are about to witness...birth."

Logan shook his head and groaned, "This is gonna be a long morning."

Marie nudged him in the ribs with her elbow and shot him a look.

After the granola lady (as Logan called her) gave her drawn out introduction, she instructed the mothers to sit Indian style on their mats with their partners behind them to run through breathing exercises.

Granola lady floated through the room, gently encouraging her students, "In through the nose, out through the mouth...very good. Partners, don't forget to encourage mommy."

Marie leaned back against Logan's chest as she breathed in and out. At that moment, he reveled in the familiar, yet consistently awe inspiring feeling of her body against his. The world melted away and he was able to ignore the fact that he was in a room full of people with a hippie roaming around, singing about mother earth. He just felt her against him as he leaned down and let his whiskered cheek brush against her smooth face.

He put both hands on the sides of her belly and began rubbing in small circles. Marie smiled and closed her eyes as Logan kissed her temple and whispered, "Breathe baby...you're gonna do fine."

She turned her head to capture his lips in a loving kiss, but they were interrupted by granola lady, who was giving another set of instructions.

After another hour of breathing, massaging and birth coach training, the lights were dimmed for the video.

It started off innocently enough, giving an in-the-womb view of babies in their 40th week of gestation...then it all went to hell in a gasoline soaked handbasket.

As they watched some poor woman give birth, Logan cringed...Wolverine...cringed at the sight. He didn't stop to think about the fact that he had beheaded and literally ripped several people apart in his lifetime. He'd seen blood and guts before...but this affected him, probably because he knew Marie would be going through the exact same thing.

He watched in horror as the head emerged from between the video woman's legs, then the shoulders...Logan cried out, surprising even himself at his outburst, "It ripped! It ripped! What the hell?"

As the people in the class exchanged looks, granola woman smiled evenly, "Do not worry. It is perfectly natural."

Marie laughed softly and shook her head while Logan's face stayed frozen in a twisted expression of horror and disgust as his eyes stayed glued to the screen. After the baby was born, he pointed at the screen, "What is that?"

Granola lady's tone was calm and patient, "That's the umbilical cord and that is the placenta...also known as the after birth. It is what provides your unborn child with all of the oxygen and nutrients he or she needs while in utero. Some people choose to save theirs."

That comment elicited a shudder and slight gag from Logan.

By the time the lights came back on, Logan's face was still frozen in shock. Marie shook his shoulder, which broke him out of his daze. He cleared his throat and looked at her. How could her face be so calm and serene after watching something so horrible?

As they walked to the car, he was astonished by her contentment with the situation. After all, she was the one who would have to go through it and if he were her, he'd be freaking out...but as they walked to the car and rode home, she hummed to the songs on the radio and favored him with relaxed smiles.

Marie never ceased to amaze him.  


* * *

Magneto sat across from Samantha in his hideout, discussing their best way to go about their baby snatching plan, "How much longer do we have until her due date?"

Samantha sighed, "She has just a couple more weeks until she's full term. It's her first pregnancy so the baby could come any time after that."

"I don't think we can leave this one up to nature. We need to orchestrate the birth ourselves. As soon as it is safe to deliver the child, we must do so."

Samantha ran a hand through her hair and bit her lip before looking back up at Magneto, "How do you suppose we go about this?"

He smirked, "I'll have some members of the brotherhood create a diversion that requires the attention of the X Men. They'll be the perfect way to get her away from her bodyguards."

* * *

**Reviews please! Thanks so much for reading!**


	30. Showers and Suspicions

When the day of Marie's baby shower arrived, she entered a room brimming with light blue and chocolate brown decor. They were the colors she had picked out for her son's nursery and Jubilee and Kitty had used so much of the colors, she was already growing tired of it.

Marie smiled, "This is wonderful guys, thanks!"

Jubilee patted her friend on the shoulder and glanced at Kitty, "Putting it together was a bit tricky...seeing as how unconventional everything is..." Jubilee paused as Remy and Logan walked into the room, "...speaking of unconventional...I'll leave you alone with your baby's daddies."

Marie rolled her eyes as Kitty and Jubilee bounded away to welcome in more party guests.

Remy hung back and distracted himself as Logan strode over and kissed Marie on the lips, "Alright...when do we open gifts?"

She playfully shoved him, "After the gift givers have had a chance to eat. Now go sit down and sulk somewhere."

He tried to move to the corner of the room, but Jubilee and Kitty stopped him, handing him a blue bubble gum cigar, which he took, shot them a warning growl and sat down with.

Remy approached and kissed her cheek, "How ya feelin' petite fleur?"

She reciprocated the kiss by slightly brushing her lips against his stubbled chin before they pulled apart, "No complaints. This ain't gonna be too awkward for ya is it?"

He shook his head and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder before walking away. He, too, was handed a blue bubble gum cigar by the party hostesses. When he saw Logan fiddling with the same candy gag gift, he shrugged and plopped down a few chairs away from him.

By the time the party was in full swing, there was a large pile of gifts in the middle of the room and everyone had a chance to eat. Samantha arrived a little later than she had intended. She carried a wrapped gift, smiling brightly as she waved at Marie.

Marie stood and walked over, hugging her, "Thanks so much for comin'!"

"It's no problem, really. Thanks for the invite. I thought you would only want close friends..."

Marie waved her hand dismissively, "Oh please, you're my friend now! Get yourself somethin' to eat before it's all gone."

Samantha nodded as Marie walked away. Her smile soon drooped into a sad, guilt ridden frown.

At the same time, across the room, the professor looked up and searched the room for the thought projection he had unwittingly picked up on. All he could feel was guilt and a faint voice crying "I can't do this to her...I can't hurt her."

He tried to brush off the incident, but his instincts wouldn't let him.

As Marie began to open presents, Logan and Remy took a seat on either side of her to watch. When she opened the breast pump Samantha had given her, all of the men in the room's eyebrows knitted in confusion. Marie, on the other hand, thanked her doctor/friend enthusiastically, "Wow! It's a Medela! These are the top of the line! You shouldn't have!"

Samantha smiled and nodded, "No problem." As soon as Marie moved onto her next gift and attention was off of her, her demeanor drooped as she continued to watch the obliviously happy mother open her gifts. Coming was definitely a mistake.

The professor's eyes connected with hers for a moment before she looked away and quickly worked to block any potentially suspicious thoughts from him.

Two weeks later, Marie was ready to have her pregnancy over and done with...so were Logan and Remy. Not just because they were eager to discover the baby's true paternity, but also because she was miserable and angry all the time.

They were in the first week of summer vacation. Many students had gone home or gone to mutant summer camps across the country set up by various mutant friendly organizations.

A quiet evening was interrupted by a newscast claiming that mutants were attacking a laboratory thought to be performing testing for an alternative cure. The X Men immediately sprung into action, suiting up and rushing to the jet. Marie said goodbye to Logan and Remy, who were both extremely reluctant to leave her. She reassured them both that she would be fine before sending them on their way.

She returned to the main level with the professor, who seemed as if something was on his mind. Marie noticed, "Everything ok?"

The professor sighed, "I can't seem to put my finger on it...but I feel as though something is terribly wrong."

"Is it the mission?"

He began to shake his head, but hesitated before giving her a reassuring smile, "I'm sure it's just the paranoia of an old man who's seen too many dark days."

Marie smiled, fully reassured by his calm words.

That evening as Marie slept, she dreamt that Samantha stood over her with a needle. A searing pain in her belly woke up her up, causing her to cry out into the night. She clutched her stomach and breathed for a moment, trying to wrap her mind around what was happening within her body. She was pretty sure she had just had a contraction. She closed her eyes and put a hand on her belly and waited as the pain subsided. For several minutes, all was quiet...then she yelped again. Another contraction. This was labor.

No one was close enough to her room to hear her call for them, so she crawled out of her bed and put a robe on. She figured she could find the professor, and he could call her doctor for her, then maybe check to see if Logan and Remy were back. She walked out into the uncharacteristically dark hall and paused for a moment when she felt someone behind her. She snatched around to see Samantha standing there, looking far more sinister than her normal self.

Marie furrowed her eyebrows, "Samantha?"

Suddenly, Marie was grabbed by a pair of strong hands as she was gagged and bound. Samantha's cold gaze faltered a bit as Marie's pleading, panicked eyes fell upon hers before she injected her with a chemical that slowly darkened her vision. Before she fell unconscious, she saw Magneto's face and was able to project a single thought: HELP!

The professor heard her and jerked out of bed, "Marie!"

He projected to Jubilee, telling her to check on Marie. A couple of minutes later, Kitty and Jubilee both almost slammed into him into the hallway as she was on her way to his room. Jubilee panted heavily, "She's not here!"

Xavier tried to remain calm as he told them to work on contacting Logan, Remy and the rest of the team on the communicator. He quickly made his way to Cerebro to attempt to locate her, but it was no use. She was blocked to him.

He closed his eyes and wracked his brain for a way to find her until he stopped and remembered the projection he had picked up on during Marie's baby shower...they had come from Dr. Anderson. Her thoughts were so guilty and troubled. When she realized she had picked up on them, she blocked him from further probes.

The professor plugged back into Cerebro and found that Dr. Anderson was nearby the mansion, but was currently moving away. She had been there...and she definitely did have something to do with Marie's kidnapping.

When he finally emerged from Cerebro, Samantha was still on the move, but he had enough information to start sending the team in the right direction.

Xavier knew that Marie's child would most likely be a class 5 mutant, but he had also hoped that no one else would know that. He thought they could trust Samantha, but as a girl, she was so bitter and angry toward the human world that had shunned her and his seemingly passive mutant world she lived in at the mansion. He could tell she wanted vengeance for the treatment she endured.

She wasn't working alone...her anger was being taken advantage of. His intuition pointed at Magneto.

After what had happened with Jean, he was sure that his old friend was looking for a new weapon in the fight against humanity...one he could cultivate and have better control of...maybe he was even looking for a successor.

Marie was awakened by a contraction. She cried out and blindly fumbled for something to hold onto as her blurred vision worked to make out the details of the strange room she laid in. She was on a bed in an all metal cell that was strangely without a door.

As her contraction eased, she breathed out and tried to run a hand through her hair, but was stopped by a metal headband, which she attempted to take off, but a voice stopped her, "Ah ah ah young one. We wouldn't want the professor finding you yet."

She cringed, "Why did you take me? Where am I?"

He looked down at her belly as she wrapped a protective arm around it, "Do you not know?"

She eyed him suspiciously and cringed as she tried to keep from crying out when another contraction hit her, "Know what?"

"Your child...is a class 5 mutant. He has the potential to be more powerful than Jean Grey...don't you know what that could mean for this war?"

Marie gripped onto the blanket and gritted her teeth, "You can't have him!"

He smirked slightly, "Oh on the contrary my dear...it is only a matter of time until I have him...isn't that right Samantha?"

Marie followed his eyes to Dr. Anderson as she stood on the other side of the room in a pair of scrubs. She just stared at Marie with an unflinching gaze as Magneto approached and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Do not worry my dear...your son will be safe and well taken care of."

She glared and cried out as another pain hit her, tears wetting her cheeks. She prayed that her labor would be long and drawn out so that she had the opportunity to be rescued before Magneto could make off with her baby.

Dr. Anderson looked down at her feet. She couldn't take the look on Marie's face anymore. She purposely opened her mind and projected her guilty thoughts as loudly as she possibly could.


	31. Delivered from Evil

Logan should have known something was wrong when the mutants at the lab scattered as soon as the jet landed. After a sweep of the place and a brief meeting with law enforcement officials, they all got back on the jet in time to hear the communicators beeping.

Bobby picked up. Kitty's voice was panicked and relieved at the same time, "Oh! Thank god you're there! We've been trying to call you for the past two hours!"

Hank, Logan, Remy, Storm and Piotr looked at each other as Bobby spoke into the communicator, "What's wrong?"

"Marie! She's been kidnapped! The professor knows which direction she was being taken in and he's trying to see if they've stopped. Apparently Dr. Anderson had something to do with it."

Logan and Remy were on their feet and tripping over each other to get to the front of the jet as they yelled out a barrage of questions for Kitty.

Within moments, the X Men were headed to the new coordinates provided by the professor. Logan looked at Remy as the cajun sat anxiously staring out of the window in the seat next to him. They hadn't sat together on the way there, but they ended up next to each other after learning of Marie's kidnapping.

Remy must've felt Logan's eyes on him, because he broke the tense silence, "Why would the doc do somethin' like this?"

Logan shook his head and clenched his jaw, "She's prolly working for someone."

Remy nodded, "I love her, Logan. I ain't never stopped lovin' her."

"I know."

Remy forced a slight chuckle, "And you still lemme spend time with 'er?"

Logan rubbed his knuckles as he thought of the impending fight. He would gladly shred into anyone that attempted to hurt her or that baby, regardless of who turned out to be the father, "I had to trust her...I had to trust you."

The two looked at each other for a moment and nodded in silent agreement.

* * *

"Get away from me you traitorous bitch!" Marie screamed as Dr. Anderson tried to console her through a contraction.

She was getting closer to delivering and there was still no sign of her rescuers. She couldn't let Magneto turn her child into some hateful creature for his own sick, twisted war weapon.

Marie was too weak to push Samantha away when she went to check her labor's progress, "Oh god...it's time Marie. You're gonna have to push."

"No! He can't have him! He can't take my baby!"

A commotion outside did little to distract either of them from the task at hand. Marie's insistence to hold out from pushing didn't matter anymore when her body made the decision for her. Nature and instinct took over as she began pushing, ignoring the coaching of Dr. Anderson as she tried to pretend that Logan...or Remy was there with her, whispering soft, encouraging words to her.

* * *

The jet was put into stealth mode as they landed near Magneto's hideout. Storm provided the cover while Hank, Logan and Remy took out the dozen guards that had been guarding just outside of the metal building.

Bobby, Piotr and Storm joined them as they worked their way inside the building, encountering a couple more dozen bad guys. Remy and Logan both fought with an intensely frightening determination and shocking precision.

They didn't know how many dead bodies lay in their wake by the time they reached the inner sanctum of the hideout...but they knew Magneto was close by. Logan was thrown back several feet and slammed into a wall before crumpling to the floor in an semi-conscious heap. Remy snarled at Magneto and had to flip, jump and dive to avoid getting impaled by the many sharp metal pieces that flew toward him.

Magneto managed to snatch Remy's cane, but the cajun responded by pulling out his deck of cards and sending them into the older man's chest, causing him to fly backwards and get knocked unconscious. Remy started toward Magneto to finish him off, but the sounds of a baby crying made his world come to a screeching halt. Logan struggled to his feet and looked at Remy as they both took a moment to take in the unfamiliar sound.

Seconds later, they rushed through the hallways, following the sound of the infant's cries until they found Marie in a cell, sitting up on a bed with her hair slicked against her sweat covered forehead as she cradled a tiny body in her arms. She looked up at them with wet eyes and whispered, "He's beautiful..."

They both searched the room for signs of danger until their eyes fell upon Samantha. They glared at Dr. Anderson as she stood across the room from Marie, "You..."

Samantha put both hands up defensively as Logan approached with claws unsheathed, "I helped her! I called for the professor!"

Logan advanced on her and grabbed her arm, which proved to be a major mistake. She had activated her powers. Logan's knees began to buckle as she took on his regenerative capabilities. Remy turned to see Magneto stumble through the doorway. Marie clutched her baby close as Magneto began advancing on them, but Remy rushed over to intercept.

Remy was stopped in his tracks when a large metal stake appeared out of nowhere and flew into his chest.

As it connected, the sickening sound of metal tearing into flesh filled the air along with Marie's scream. Remy stumbled slightly and struggled to take a breath as Marie reached for him, but she was too far away and too weak to get to him. Magneto used his powers to pull out the stake to prepare to stab Remy again...after all, he was still standing.

Before he had the opportunity to finish him off, Hank appeared behind him and snapped his neck, killing him.

As the scene unfolded, Samantha turned off her powers and snatched away from Logan to escape. All in the room were too concerned with Remy, who had dropped to his knees, then to his back on the floor.

Marie shook her head in disbelief as tears formed in her eyes, "No...no...Remy!"

Storm helped Logan up while Hank carefully picked up Remy, "We need to get him to the med lab."

Colossus picked up Marie and her baby and carried them to the awaiting jet. She subconsciously rocked her baby with tears streaming down her face as she watched Remy struggle to take breath after breath as he lay on the stretcher for the longest flight of his life.

* * *

He stared up at the bright lights in the med lab as the pain began to subside, thanks to the powerful dose of pain killers Hank had given him. Logan came within his field of vision, staring down at him in disbelief, "What the hell did you think you were doin', gumbo? He wouldn't have hurt them."

Remy smiled weakly and took a deep, labored breath, "Heh...I jus' wanted to protect 'em. Didn't want him near 'em...how is she?"

"Hank and the professor are checkin' her and the baby out...she's been asking about you ever since they separated you..." Logan's voice trailed off as he looked down.

Remy shut his eyes and tried to suppress a coughing fit. Logan put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "You're gonna be fine, French Quarter...can't get outta workin' here that easy."

Remy took a breath and shut his eyes before favoring Logan with a weak smile, "You're a bad liar...wolf man."

Logan left to check on Marie and the baby in the adjoining room. He spent an inordinate amount of time trying to convince her to absorb his powers to help with her healing from the birth. She seemed to cringe and yelp at every single movement, "Are you sure you've recovered enough from Samantha touching you?"

He nodded and took her hand, "I hate seein' you in pain...that's a big kid you just pushed out."

She closed her eyes and held onto him for a brief moment, just long enough to heal. Logan sat down for a few moments to recover as the professor finished up his psychic evaluation of Marie's baby.

Xavier looked up, "He is definitely a class 5 mutant, but his powers are perfectly under control...for the time being. He hasn't tapped into them yet, but they could present themselves as early as next year."

"Is that all?" Logan asked as he looked down at the baby and quirked a half smile. He was adorable. Marie had already dressed him in a onesie and his chocolate brown hair matched perfectly with his dark eyes, which were surprisingly wide open.

The baby yawned and brought both of his tiny hands to his face as the professor let out a breath, "No...that isn't all. Marie...may I have a word alone?"

She nodded and picked up her son as she wrapped him in a blanket. Logan left the room to check on Remy again, who was still unconscious.

When Logan left, the professor took a deep breath, "I know who the father is..."

* * *

Logan stared down at the unconscious cajun as Hank puttered around the room, "What's it looking like, doc?"

Hank shook his head, "Only a matter of time..."

They sat in silence for a while until Marie walked into the room, carrying the baby, "Can you guys give me a moment alone with him?"

Hank and Logan nodded before slowly leaving the room.

Marie took a seat at Remy's bedside and looked at him. She tried to speak, but her feeble voice got lost in the sea of tears that washed over her face. She was startled when she heard Remy's weak voice, "Why you cry, petite fleur?"

She smiled bravely and sniffled, "I hate seein' you hurt, that's all."

He smiled, "How you feelin'? How's the baby?"

She stood and moved closer, holding the baby so he could get a closer look in his semi-inclined position, "I'm fine and he's wonderful."

Remy brought a weak, trembling finger up to touch the baby's soft cheek, "S'beautiful..."

She nodded as tears continued to fall, "He is...and he's yours."

* * *

**BOO YA! How ya like them apples? Sorry I suck at action scenes, but I tried! I promise to try to get better at them in the future. Tenaseein'- I am still mulling Romy plotbunnies, but you have my word. There will be a Romy fic within the near future. **


	32. Life After Miracles

Remy smiled and shut his eyes tight as a few tears streaked down his face. He looked back at the baby and whispered, "Mon fils...my son."

Marie sniffled and wiped at her eyes, "You gotta fight for him, Remy. You gotta stay alive for him."

Remy took a few labored breaths, "I think my time's almost up here petite fleur...I need a miracle."

Marie shook her head, "No Remy...please."

He shushed her softly as he touched their son's head, "I know both of ya are gonna be fine. Bring 'em closer, will ya?"

She looked down at the sleeping infant in her arms and brought him closer to Remy, who took the time to gently touch each of the baby's tiny features. After a few moments of silence, he whispered, "I love you, petite babe."

Marie took a deep breath, "You can't die Remy. I can't let it happen. I may not be with you, but I love you...and you need to be there to take care of him."

Remy reached up and touched a strand of her white hair, "In the short time I've known you...you've changed me. You made my life more beautiful than I ever thought it could be."

She leaned down and gave him a soft, lingering kiss on the lips before resting her forehead against his. After a few moments, she let him kiss and stare at his son for a few moments, but as his strength failed, he kissed the baby's head and lay back on the bed.

* * *

The professor picked up on Samantha's projection. She was near the mansion and asking permission to come in. He sent Bobby to escort her into the lower levels. The professor crossed his arms as Logan joined him, "You've got some nerve showin' up here, bitch. I should gut you where you stand."

"You have every reason to hate me...but I'm here to help. Where's Remy?"

The professor nodded to Hank, "She can help."

Hank led her into the room with Logan hot on her tail where Marie sat with her son in one arm and holding Remy's pale hand in her own. He was unconscious again and his breathing was frighteningly labored. Marie glanced at Samantha and glared before turning her attention back to Remy, "What the hell is she doing here?"

"Marie...I can help Remy. I took on Logan's healing factor when he touched me...I can heal him."

Marie looked at her, then back at Remy, "Do it."

Samantha stepped forward slowly and took Remy's hand, channeling her borrowed regenerative capabilities into his body. Hank carefully lifted the bandage to watch as Remy's near fatal wound closed. As Hank checked his vitals, Remy let out a long breath and looked around the room. For a minute, he thought he was dead, but he was able to find his voice, "What happened?"

Marie smiled, "You got your miracle, LeBeau."

Remy wanted to kiss her, but Logan's intense gaze vetoed that thought. He looked down at the small bundle in her arms...his son. The child he had wanted so badly with her slept cradled in her protective embrace, blissfully unaware of the traumatic circumstances surrounding his entry into the world.

"May I hold him?" he asked cautiously.

"Of course," Marie nodded and carefully handed him the the tiny infant. Remy gently cradled his son in his arms and smiled. If he couldn't have her, this seemed like the best consolation prize heaven or earth could ever offer.

Across the room, a harried looking Logan hung his head and closed his eyes. Marie caught his look and walked over to put a hand on his shoulder, "Are you ok?"

He watched as the professor and Bobby led Samantha from the room, "We'll talk about it some other time."

* * *

A couple of weeks after Remy and Marie's son was born, they finally settled on a name: Olivier James LeBeau. Logan didn't care for the name and insisted on calling the baby Olly, which Remy hated just as much.

As Marie sat breastfeeding the nearly three week old infant, Logan sat down on the bed across from her rocking chair. She smiled, "Sup baby?"

Logan reached over and stroked the baby's head briefly, "I see the way you and Remy still look at each other..."

He stopped talking when he saw Marie roll her eyes, "How many times are we gonna have to go over this? I chose you, but Remy and I have a baby together. That's as far as it goes."

Logan clasped his hands together and sighed, "Am I gonna have to look over my shoulder for the rest of our lives together?"

Marie rolled her eyes and shook her head, but refused to dignify his question with a response. When she finished feeding the baby, she laid him down. Logan immediately led her from the room, "You didn't answer my question."

She snatched out of his grasp and whispered urgently, "The truth is Logan, I don't know, because sometimes, you can be an emotionally detached asshole. You can be selfish, insensitive and pigheaded and I'm sure on any given day, I can come up with a few things I hate just as much about Remy...but I'm glad you might feel the need to look over your shoulder for a couple of years. I'm glad because you knowing Remy is waiting in the wings makes you a better mate to me."

Logan sighed, "I don't know if I can handle him being so...close to you."

"Well handle it, Logan...because Olivier comes first."

Logan's expression softened, "You know I love that baby..."

She stroked his face, "I know and you are really great with him...but Remy's just as much in this as you and I are. That's his son in there...and because of that, he and I will share a bond for the rest of our lives."

Logan grumbled and ran a hand through his unruly hair, "If you two share this all powerful lifetime bond...and you've already told me that you love him too...what's bonding you and I together?"

Marie looked down, "Faith?"

He took a step closer and lifted her chin to look into her eyes, "What if I need more than that?"

She slowly shook her head and raised her shoulders in uncertainty. He searched her eyes and stroked the side of her face before kissing her and walking away.

* * *

Olivier James LeBeau was proving to be one of the sweetest, most charming baby boys to have ever graced the earth with his presence. He smiled before he was two months old and had the habit of gently playing with a woman's hair while being held.

Marie, Remy and Logan attempted to adapt to a three-way parenting system.

Marie was busy with constant breast feeding and Remy was absolutely smitten with his son, who he claimed was his mini-me...hypnotic charm and all.

Logan was just looking for a place to fit in. He loved the little kid more than anything, but he already had two parents...there wasn't really any space for a third, full time parent.

By the time little Olivier was five months old, Logan had bought an engagement ring for Marie. He purchased it with the thousands of dollars that he had saved cage fighting and lumberjacking throughout the years.

He had spent two months shopping for it and held onto it for another two months, unsure of when or if the right time would ever come.

* * *

"How many times have I had to tell you to stop using our son as chick bait at the mall, LeBeau?"

Remy smirked and bounced his equally debonair infant son in his arms. The baby quirked a smile and squealed as he reached up for his fathers face. Remy responded by kissing one of his chubby hands, "Aw it's just one number! I can't help if we're both too handsome to be ignored."

Marie rolled her eyes and took the baby, "Somethin' is seriously wrong with you, Remy."

The cajun's eyes glinted as he raised a brow and followed her, "Ya jealous petite fleur?"

Marie stuttered slightly, "W-What? N-no! Of course not! I just don't want our son comin' home smellin' like cheap perfume every time he goes out with you."

Remy leaned over and kissed Olivier's head before strolling away, "Alright belle...whateva you say!"

Marie marched off, mumbling to Olivier about his cocky father. With her luck, he would be just like him. When she entered the rec room, Logan reached up from the arm chair he was sitting in, "Sup Olly? Did your daddy bore you half to death with those little card tricks?"

Marie chuckled softly as she handed him the baby, "He took him to the mall again..."

Logan laughed a little and bounced the baby on his knee a bit, but said nothing. She looked at him and raised a brow, "What's so funny? I told you I hated it when he took him trolling like that."

"Oh come on Marie...lighten up. I'd do the same thing if I were him. The guy's single...at least give him a little credit for looking for a woman who is kid friendly."

Marie busied herself at the pool table, rolling balls into pockets with her hand, "Yea...I guess."

Logan looked down and took a breath, "I hate this, Marie."

She stopped fiddling with the pool table and looked at him. She knew what "this" was and she couldn't blame him. She had feelings for Remy and they weren't going away. They'd gotten less intense in the past five months, but unfortunately, they were more meaningful because of their mutual commitment to Olivier.

Marie looked at Olivier, who was smiling and grabbing a hold of Logan's muttonchops, "Logan, you know that Remy and I share a major bond with Olivier."

"What if I want a bond with you too?"

Marie stuttered, "What do you mean?"

"I want you to marry me...then maybe later on we can give Olly a playmate or somethin'."

Marie blinked rapidly, "Marriage?"

He nodded and pulled the ring out of his jacket pocket and tossed her the little black box that housed it. She caught it with a trembling hand and slowly opened it. It was a white gold ring with a blue sapphire as a center stone flanked by princess cut diamonds. She looked up at him with a wide mouth as he looked at the baby he held in his arms, "You think mommy's gonna say yes?"

* * *

**What do YOU think?**


	33. Three Mutants and a Baby

Marie kept the ring in a box in her nightstand for the time being. She told Logan she needed time to think. She fiddled with the tags around her neck and smiled, thinking of all the horrible and wonderful times they had had together.

The dog tags already bound her to him. Even during his infamous absence and her months long tryst with Remy, she never removed them. They bound her to him, more so than any ring ever could...no matter how beautiful and expensive.

It was the adamantium tags she wore around her neck that truly symbolized her commitment to him in sickness, health, hell or highwater.

She looked at her son as he slept and smiled. Appearance wise, he was a pretty decent mix between her and Remy, but every time she looked at him, she saw Remy. She never should have had sex with him...but looking at her son's sleeping form, she couldn't fully regret it.

Marie knew Remy deserved better...he deserved a woman who was wholly in love with him and no one else. Not a woman who would continue to think about another as they laid in bed together, wearing another's dog tags.

She quietly left the room to keep from disturbing Olivier and nearly bumped into Remy, who was carrying bags of baby stuff he'd picked up from Target. She put a finger to her mouth and whispered, "He's nappin'...what's all this?"

"He's gettin' so big, I figured he needed some more clothes. Picked up some more wipes too."

Marie smiled and nodded, "Great...you can just leave 'em in your room so he'll have stuff you can change 'em into when he's in there."

Remy nodded and started to walk off, but Marie jogged up to follow, "I gotta talk to you bout somethin'...gotta minute?"

"Sure darlin', talk away."

They walked into his room and Remy sat the bags down beside the pack and play bed Olivier slept in when he spent the night in his father's room.

He motioned toward the desk chair, "Have a seat babe...ya got my full attention."

She sat down and fiddled with her sleeves, "Logan asked me to marry him."

Remy jerked his head back slightly as he raised his eyebrows, "Wow. Don't bother beatin' round the bush or nothin'."

"I'm sorry...I just had to say it before I lost my nerve."

Remy turned around and looked out the window, "What was your answer?"

"I haven't given him one yet. I thought I should talk to you first since...because of our history and Olivier."

Remy nodded, "I stopped worryin' about you when he came along. I figured, you're a big girl...you make your bed, you lay in it...but you marry Logan, it affects my son."

"Come on Remy, he loves Olivier. He'd never hurt him."

"I know he loves Olivier...but didn't he say he loved you before he abandoned you for six months?"

Marie sat in stunned silence for a second before nodding her head and sighing, "Yea..."

"I want to talk to him...alone."

Marie looked up with wide eyes, "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"My son is involved. He and I are gonna have to have some words."

* * *

Remy found Logan in the garage, "Got a minute, wolf man?"

Logan looked up and wiped his hands on a rag, "What do you want, gumbo?"

Remy sat on a stool across from Logan and crossed his arms, "Marie told me 'bout your little proposal."

Logan smirked and tossed the rag away, "Good news travels fast."

"I don't have any claims to her no more...but that baby boy...I am his father. He is my business."

"No one's said otherwise, Cajun."  
"Course not...but I need to warn you-"

Logan cut him off, "Warn me?"

"Yes, warn you. If you are gonna be apart of my son's life, you betta be there. If you hurt him by takin' off on him like you did Marie...I'll kill you. You got me?"

Logan narrowed his eyes and stared at Remy for a moment. Normally, he would unsheath his claws to someone dumb enough to threaten him in that way. He looked at Remy, whose intense gaze never faltered from his own eyes. Logan admired that. He understood it...he was protecting his cub, "Yea...yea, I got you."

Remy nodded, "Fine then..."

With that, Remy stood and left.

Marie was wearing the ring by the following day. It was painful for Remy to see it, but he had his son to think about, so he focused all of his energy on him.

A couple of weeks later, Marie asked Remy to keep Olivier for a few hours while she and Logan "ran errands".

They returned married.

Part of Remy was relieved that they didn't have a big circus wedding that he would feel pressured to attend. The other part was sad that he finally had to give up on his hope of ever truly being with her.

He decided to focus all of his energy on his son and being the best father he could be. There were times when he felt as though his toes were being stepped on as far as parenting was concerned, but he would quickly broach the subject and remind Logan who Olivier's real father was.

He was thankful that he never had to remind Olivier or Marie though. She was always mindful to consult with him before making any decisions concerning their son and Remy was the only one Olivier called "dada" when he started talking.

Eventually, he started dating, but never got serious. He knew that any girl he tried to date for the next couple of years would be a Marie replacement, so he just found girls to "have fun" with.

By the time Olivier's first birthday came around, Remy could tell that she and Logan were trying to get pregnant...and he could tell that Logan was frustrated that he couldn't get the job done as quickly as he had.

He was returning Olivier to Marie's room when he heard Logan bitching through the door, "I don't fuckin' understand. You two have a damn one night stand and he knocks you up...we've been tryin' for five months and nothing!"

Remy smirked a little and listened on as Marie spoke, "It takes time, baby. Maybe it's just the universe tellin' us we need to wait a lil while longer?"

He heard Logan plop onto the bed, "It's not fair."

"Oh god Logan...it's not a competition. No one's keepin' score! Remy has a baby with me, so now you have to have one with me too? It wasn't all that long ago that you couldn't even say the word baby."

"Things change, kid."

"Mhm...and pigs fly. I'm not gonna have a baby with you if it's just so you can feel like you're one upping Remy. You got me, Logan. I'm your wife! Isn't that enough?"

"Not to the animal in me...no. You're my mate...and you know I love Olly more than anything, but he's Remy's son. The animal inside me doesn't care much about that piece of paper now that you've mated with another..."

She was about to say something when Olivier started whining in his arms.

Remy quickly knocked on the door to make it appear as though he'd just arrived. Marie opened the door and smiled, reaching for her son, "There's my big boy! Did you have a good time with daddy?"

Olivier smiled and turned back to Remy to point and babble. Somewhere in all the inaudible gurgles, they heard, "Dadadada."

Remy smiled and leaned over to kiss his son again, "Je t'aime mon fils."

Remy looked over Marie's shoulder and nodded at the sulking Logan before glancing back at Marie, "I'm goin' out tonight, but feel free to drop him off before your classes tomorrow if you didn't have any plans with him. I was thinkin' about goin' to the aquarium or somethin'."

Marie nodded, "Thanks Remy...that sounds you'd like fun."

He nodded and turned to walk away. A smirk played across his face as he realized that he may have something with Marie that she and Logan haven't shared yet...

* * *

**Updates for this one are gonna be fewer and and farther between! Who knows...consider this a soft ending, k?**

**Also, I just posted an in-progress ROMY fic called The Pieces He Left Behind...so definitely check it out!  
**


	34. Moving On

**I'm going to give everyone happiness!**

* * *

"Oh god Logan..."

Marie was up against the wall of their bedroom with her legs wrapped around Logan's thrusting hips. Logan had started smelling her on a regular basis to check her hormone levels...and right now, he could smell that she was ovulating.

He quickly transferred them to the bed, where he continued pumping into her. He lightly bit her neck and raised her leg up to increase his depth inside of her.

She scratched at his back as he pushed her toward her orgasm. Marie whispered desperately, "I'm cumming...I'm cumming!"

He gripped her hips and shoved himself inside as deep as he could go, cumming hard as his roars mixed in with her cries of pleasure.

Logan half collapsed on top of her as they panted and laughed wearily.

He pulled out of her and laid his head on her chest as she ran her fingers through his hair which made him almost purr against her flesh contentedly.

"I love ya, Marie."

She giggled as his whiskers scratched against her soft skin, "I love you too, sugah."

* * *

**Six Weeks Later**

Logan sat on the floor of the den with Olivier on a rainy Saturday morning. Remy was out running errands for the school and Marie was still asleep.

She'd been sleeping in a lot more lately and nearly falling asleep during her classes...so whenever Remy didn't have Olivier, Logan gladly stepped in.

He had fed the boy a wholesome breakfast of oatmeal and was now watching the Roadrunner and some dog-like creature attempt to kill each other. He couldn't believe how violent the cartoons were and he was sure Marie wouldn't want the kid watching them, so he channel surfed to try to find something a little less disturbing.

Olly protested and stood clumsily before toddling over to Logan to grab onto his shirt and point at the television. The toddler whined, babbled and pointed at the television as Logan scooped him into his arms to sit him on his lap, "OK Olly...I hear ya. Let's just try to find something for you to watch that doesn't involve death, ok?"

Remy soon arrived back home and took Olly to the children's museum while Logan went to check on Marie. The atmosphere in the room told him she had just gotten out of the shower...which means she had just gotten up.

Logan kissed the side of her head, "You just woke up, kid?"

She nodded and yawned, "I know...I'm lazy, but I'm just so tired..."

He cocked his head to the side and squinted his eyes. As she brushed her hair, he moved in closer and began sniffing her. She stopped brushing her hair and laughed, "What are you doing?"

He didn't answer. He simply leaned in further and continued sniffing her. He moved over her body, from her neck down to her stomach. He shot back up and pumped his fist in the air as he let out a roar of triumph.

"Logan...what the hell?"

"You're pregnant!"

Marie's eyes shot open as she looked down and remembered her symptoms from when she was pregnant with Olivier. The first one to show up was definitely exhaustion.

She nodded, "Ok...I think we should get a more official confirmation..."

Logan smiled widely, "I'm sure! I'd bet money on it!"

Marie laughed a little, "I'm going to the drug store."

* * *

"Told you! I did it!", Logan said as Marie presented the positive pregnancy test.

She laughed and patted him on the back, "Yea babe...you did it. Congratulations."

He took her by the hips and pulled her to him as he kissed her lips, "What I meant to say was, **we** did it."

She smirked, "Right...I'm sure that's what you meant."

He laid kisses from her jawline to her neck, which made her close her eyes and moan softly. Logan felt her body lean into his and growled happily against her skin as he continued kissing her neck.

He unbuttoned the top of her blouse and pulled it off her shoulders before trailing kisses over the exposed flesh as he laid her down on the bed and climbed on top. He unbuttoned his pants and hiked up her skirt as he kissed her lovingly and whispered sweet nothings against her skin.

When they heard a knock at the door, Logan continued caressing her body as he yelled at the door, "What?"

Kitty's voice came through the door, "Is Marie in there? I was wondering if her and Olly wanted to come to Chuck E Cheese's with me and Selena."

Logan smirked and kissed Marie's neck, "Um...no Kitty, Olly's with Remy. They're at the children's museum...try his cell."

"Ok...see ya."

Logan entered her slowly, making her moan and writhe in pleasure beneath him. He leaned down and whispered against her skin, "Damn I love you..."

"I love you back..."

* * *

A few weeks later, Marie and Logan broke the news the Remy, who was slightly surprised, but claimed he was happy for them. They all gently told Olivier, explaining it in kiddie terms.

By the end of it all, he was extremely excited about being a big brother...or as he called it, "big bwoffer".

Logan enjoyed her pregnancy more than the first...probably because he was completely sure that the baby she carried belonged to him.

Remy felt odd not being apart of her pregnancy. When she was pregnant with Olivier, he was an equal part of her life, massaging her back, rubbing her belly and attending doctor's appointments.

This time, he was on the outside looking in. His broken heart started aching anew as he watched her belly swell again.

They no longer shared the exclusive bond of having a child together.

It came to a head when Marie and Logan took Olivier to their mountain cabin for a week.

He felt more alone than ever. Storm entered the kitchen as he sat in the dark, drinking a beer. She flipped on the light and sighed, "Got room in that pity party for one more?"

Remy laughed and motioned to the stool next to him, "Feel free to join. BYOB."

Storm smiled and grabbed a beer, "What brings you in here so late?"

"I was looking for you. I know you've been holding vigil here since Logan, Marie and Olivier left Sunday."

Remy sighed, "That obvious, huh?"

"You're a good father, Remy."

He shrugged, "Too good for my own good, apparently."

Storm scrunched up her eyebrows in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"I keep findin' these chicks who are gorgeous...but they ain't exactly kid friendly. They'll be all nice to Olivier for the first coupla dates, but as soon as he does somethin' a normal kid would do...they freak...like this one gal...she damn near cried when Olivier accidentally spilled chocolate milk on her lap. She called him a jerk. Had to keep myself from knockin' her into next week."

Storm cringed, "Why would a grown woman call a toddler a jerk?"

Remy rolled his eyes and took a swig of his beer, "I don't wanna bring just any chick 'round my boy. He's special."

Storm smiled, "I know he is...have his powers started emerging?"

Remy smirked, "You must not've seen that dent in the den's wall...it's ok though...the professor's puttin' up blockers til he's old enough to learn how to control 'em."

She ran a hand through her white hair and nodded. They stayed silent for a moment before Remy turned to her, "Did ya have feelin's for wolf man, belle?"

Storm took a deep swig of the beer and stared straight ahead, "Yes...but I knew Marie was the one...those two are drawn together like magnets."

Remy gave Storm a long, thoughtful look as she gazed into the distance. She was gorgeous...exotically so. She noticed him staring and raised a brow, "What?"

He raised his shoulders slightly, "Just thinkin' bout how good you are with Olivier. It takes a bunch of patience to deal with that ball of energy."

Storm laughed, "He's fun...I get to be a kid again with him."

Two hours and several long conversations later, Remy and Storm stumbled into her room, kissing and shedding clothes along the way. They fell onto the bed once they were naked enough and Remy took a moment to admire her smooth, caramel skin as it glistened beneath him in the moonlight.

He looked into her eyes and whispered, "I don't wanna try to make you her replacement, cherie."

"I know, Remy...we're just two friends..."

"...taking care of each other", he whispered as he leaned back down to kiss her hungrily.

Within moments, he was desperately gripping onto her body as she rolled her hips onto him. She threw her head back as her mouth hung open in sheer ecstasy.

Remy laid kisses across her chest and grabbed her thighs before pushing her backwards. He began pumping in and out of her as she arched her back beneath his, causing her hardened nipples to graze against his chest.

They came together and Storm fell asleep soon after. He watched her as she laid with the sheet haphazardly covering her delectable body.

Remy smiled...this was definitely something he could get used to.


	35. Happily Ever After

A couple of mornings later, Remy awoke to a knock on the door. When he opened it, Marie was standing in the doorway with Olivier. She smiled, "He couldn't wait to see his daddy."

Remy smiled nervously and took a step out of his door, closing it behind him. Marie eyed him suspiciously as he diverted all of his attention to his son, "Bonjour Olivier! Ca va?"

Remy kissed his son's head as he plucked him out of her arms and babbled, "Dadada!"

Marie crossed her arms and smiled widely, "Sooooo...who is she?"

"Who is who?"

"The reason you won't let us into your room...oh come on Remy! I'm happy for ya!"

Before he could lie anymore, Storm opened the bedroom door, wrapped up in Remy's bed sheet. Marie's eyebrows shot up in surprise as she stuttered, "S-s-s-torm! Hey...good morning."

There was a tense moment of silence before Storm and Remy were surprised to see Marie burst into uncontrolled laughter. She giggled so hard, she had to lean against the door frame for support.

"What's so funny?" asked Remy, who watched as Marie nearly double over in amusement.

Marie worked to catch her breath as she laughed so hard, tears formed in her eyes, "Your faces! You look like you just got called into the principal's office!"

Remy and Storm laughed nervously as Marie slowly calmed herself and took a few deep breaths, "But really...this is...this is good." She smiled genuinely at the two before she looked at Olivier, "Are you guys ok to take him?"

Remy nodded, "Yea, absolutely."

When they closed the door, Storm disappeared into the bathroom to get dressed as Remy talked to Olivier about his trip.

Marie, in the meantime, was relaying the news to Logan. He seemed relieved as he laid on the bed and rubbed his eyes, exhausted from the long drive back, "Thank god...I was afraid he was gonna carry a torch for you til the day he died."

"He's sticking his torch elsewhere."

"Ew."  


* * *

As months passed, Remy and Storm grew closer. Although their original arrangement was just to be "friends with benefits", they very quickly began caring for each other on a deeper level, but they had yet to acknowledge their feelings.

At Marie's baby shower, Remy noticed Storm looking wistful as the festivities winded down. He followed her onto the balcony and immediately felt the wind picking up. She was upset...the weather always seemed to turn unpleasant when she was sad.

"You alright, cherie?"

She whispered without turning around, "Yea..."

He walked up closer and put a hand on her arm, "I call bull shit, baby."

She sighed and looked down, "I want more, Remy."

The revelation shocked him and sent him soaring at the same time. She had been so good at fooling him into thinking she wanted nothing more than the mind blowing sex they had been having for the past few months.

"Why didn't you say anything, cherie?"

Storm shrugged slightly and turned around to look at him, "Didn't want to scare you away...the sex is-"

"It is..." he immediately cut in, wanting to emphasize just how good the sex was.

They nodded in agreement for a few seconds as they both silently recalled their last hot session against the wall of he Danger Room.

He cleared his throat as he tried not to concentrate on the tightening in his pants after thinking of her naked caramel body wrapped around his. He stared down into her eyes and stroked her cheek, "Truth be told...I want more too darlin'."

"You do?" she asked, sounding hopeful. He nodded and she gave him a questioning look, "How much more?"

He reached behind her and put a hand on the small of her back, drawing her body close to his, "More of you...more love...more children..."

Storm's breath caught in her throat as he smiled and pulled her in for a loving kiss. Marie had been watching them from the doorway. Logan brought her a piece of cake and glanced at the two on the balcony, making out like they were behind the bleachers at prom. He smirked, "What'd I miss?"

Marie smiled, "What would their kid's relationship to our baby be?"

"Uh...step...half...uh...wait, what? Is she-"

"Not yet..."

Remy and Storm were engaged by the time Marie gave birth to a healthy baby girl named Evelyn Selene Howlett. Logan called her "Evie" for short.

When Remy brought Olivier down to the medlab to visit his new baby sister, the toddler seemed fascinated by the sleeping infant. Logan beamed proudly, "Olly, say hi to Evie...this is your baby sister. You gotta help me protect her from all the men in the world."

Marie laughed as she cradled the baby girl and leaned her forward to let Olivier give her a kiss on the cheek. Remy stepped forward and admired the newborn, "She's gorgeous...good Lord, Marie...she looks just like you."

Marie shot Logan a look, "Told ya!"

Logan grumbled, "I still say she looks like me."

Remy laughed a little and picked Olivier up, "Today's a day for good news...so I mine as well share mine. I wanted y'all to be the first to know that me and Storm are gettin' hitched."

Logan smiled and slapped Remy on the back, "Congrats man!"

Marie laughed. She could tell Logan was just relieved that Remy would have a legal, written excuse to leave her alone. If a woman as gorgeous as Storm was in his bed, chances are, he had stopped fantasizing about getting Marie back.  


* * *

Although Olivier was the only child Marie and Remy shared, he turned out to be the eldest brother of five siblings. Three from Remy and Storm and two from Marie and Logan.

Remy and Marie remained close friends and amicable partners in raising Olivier.

Marie often stressed out about what she would tell Olivier about the nature of she and Remy's relationship, but Logan convinced her to just tell the truth and hope that his childhood was so happy, he wouldn't think to resent her for not staying with his father.

By the time Marie and Logan's ten year anniversary rolled around, Olivier was 9, Evelyn was 7 and their youngest child, a son named James, was 2. Since they didn't have a real wedding the first time, Marie decided that she wanted to have a big party to celebrate.

The cafeteria was transformed into an elegant ballroom for the occasion, outfitted with flowers, linen covered tables and beautiful decorations.

Marie and Logan had never danced together before that night.

As Logan twirled his wife around the dance floor, she looked up into his eyes and smiled. He kissed her and let out a deep breath as he whispered, "When I think about all we've been through together...and how many times I almost lost you..."

He looked down at the tags that still laid on her chest. Even though she was wearing a formal gown, she refused to take them off...just as she always had. She kept them on after Alkali Lake, put them back on after Victor...she even kept them on during her affair with Remy.

They were a symbol of her never ending love and commitment to him. They were a reminder that no matter what happened or who attempted to come between them, the tags would always and forever bind them together.

The End.  


* * *

  
**Thank you everyone for reading this ridiculously long fic! I remember writing the first chapter and actually being concerned it would end up being too short...solved that problem didn't I? **

**For those of you who don't know, I've already started on my next Rogan fic. It's Rogan and Marie/Victor, so there's an interesting twist! As in most of my stories, poor Marie gets put through the ringer a bit, but I hope you enjoy! Be sure to check it out! It's called "The Mess He Made".**


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